Wings of Remnant
by Beowulf the Novelborn
Summary: Follow the paths of the child of a legendary Faunus breed, a child of royalty who dreams of becoming a huntress, a synthian girl with a big heart, and an avenger with a forbidden power. These four will shape the face of RWBY and take you above and beyond the worlds of Remnant! (In memory of Monty Oum, my inspiration.
1. Chapter 1: Descent

Chapter 1: Descent

Years ago, the Great War both shattered and restored Remnant.

Many died during the battles between the Faunus and the humans. And in the aftermath, bonds formed between the humans and Faunus. But old wounds festered, sparking the violent actions of the once peaceful White Fang. Yet some Faunus have been isolated by conflict.

Ask any human or Faunus in civilized Remnant and they'll tell you about the legendary Halcyon Faunus. They say that they fought behind the scenes of the war. But they all supposedly vanished, supposedly driven to extinction in their attempt to stop the war. It wasn't long before the humans and Faunus in Remnant passed the Halcyon off as a mere legend. Despite popular belief, the Halcyons were in fact still real. They had deliberately isolated themselves from humans, abiding in the one refuge where no human could ever survive. Heck the Halcyons did more than survive, they thrived.

The decades passed with bare minimum contact with the outside world, only acting in absolute secrecy. They remained invisible to all. It seemed like the Halcyons would merely be ghosts throughout history. Regardless of what all say, the humans and Faunus (Halcyons included) had a common enemy, the creatures of Grimm. And no one had a stronger hatred for the Grimm than a Huntsman to be.

(Nimbus' workshop, Stratos)

The final touches were being placed on my great masterpiece. Two curved blade formations connected by a pair of perfectly fitting gauntlets. Each gauntlet would serve a different purpose. I flipped the final piece in my hands. This was the most delicate part of all. If I misplaced this piece, even a fraction off, the whole project would come crumbling down. I was not letting this slip past me. This rare crystal was what would give my new weapon the first dating example of a new power source.

One would look at this night-sky blue and star-speckled crystal and say that they had a galaxy in the palm of their hand. I had never spoken a word about that night out by the city's walls when this thing fell from the night sky. It was a Stardust Crystal. I've done solo studies of dust myself and determined countless uses on my own.

Of course the humans and Faunus had already figured this stuff out, like weaving dust into the clothes I wore. But this crystal was different. It didn't have a power nature at all and therefore could not be burned as other dust crystals could, I tried. But there was more to this little piece than meets the eye. This crystal was just what I in particular needed. I took out my tweezers and began to place the now split crystal into both gauntlets. The first went in without a hitch, and I quickly locked it into place. I then moved to place the last one into the chamber.

The door flew open and I yanked the piece back out in surprise. I juggled it in the air for a moment in an attempt to catch it. I then proceeded with the operation and placed the crystal in correctly. Finally, it was finished.

I turned around to face my friendly nemesis. He stood six foot two, a little taller than me, and he had sleek blonde hair with blue highlights on the side. It was surprisingly a good look for him. He wore a blue jacket and black jeans.

"Jay!" I snarled, "I was in the middle of a delicate operation here! You could have ruined over three months of work for me!"

"Of course I knew that. I've heard that you spend every minute you have in here. I just came to wish you luck out there."

I looked over my shoulder with a raised eyebrow, "If you insulted me just now, it slipped over my head."

"No. I'm actually serious this time. The Grimm are getting worse out there. I don't want to see my future rival get eaten alive. I can only hope that you become a proper Huntsman." I smirked quietly. Jay's shirt ruffled and he unfurled the wings on his back, blue on top with a little white and black on the bottom. His blue jay wings (hence his name) were fifteen feet in wingspan. He offered it to me in a traditional "shake" as humans would call it. I hesitated.

"Um, I need to get moving before anyone catches on. You know what I mean." We said our goodbyes for now and we both left. I locked my workshop behind me. I put on my gauntlets and the blades folded up, like that of a mantis.

I looked at myself in the mirror as I passed a shop. I was five foot eleven and a half, I had turned eighteen not but a week ago. I was relatively slim, like all Halcyons were, but don't ever misjudge; we're a lot stronger than we look. My hair was sunset gold-orange and I had a violet streak in the same place that Jay had his blue highlights. I wore blue jeans, a dark blue jacket/trench coat with star designs. My eyes were once hazel, but now my irises are dark blue, almost black, speckled by glimmering white stars…just like the Stardust crystal. I had modeled my jacket off of this design. But my eyes were colored like that because of the crystals.

As I walked down the road with a new purpose, people began to glimpse at me. They knew that something was different about me. I kept going until I was out of the gates of the city and at the edge of the island. Rather it was a _skyland_. The Halcyons were essentially a breed of bird Faunus, and they had moved to the skyland chain known as Stratos. No humans or any other breed of Faunus could live in the conditions of a skyland over two miles above the earth. Either way, no one would ever find it due to the sea of clouds surrounding it at all times. It was small compared to the kingdoms of Remnant, but it was still a large land mass. I had been cooped up here for my whole life. I wanted to be out there so bad, but everyone knew that I had no way of using dust. That was until I found these crystals. They were my key to survival.

There was a group of hunters and huntress to be out on the edge of the skyland who were now looking at me.

"Seriously? You're going to die out there. Just leave the Grimm to us."

I said not a word as I looked behind me to see the city guards rushing to me.

"Nimbus Altos! Stay right where you are!" they all drew their weapons. I smiled as I unfurled my new wings. My feathers were silver in tine but my flight feathers were comprised of Stardust crystals. They gasped and the leader Icarus stepped forward.

"Are you mad?! Embedding dust into your body is a criminal offense!"

I growled in annoyance, "It's not embedding, Icarus. It's my semblance. I've simply become prepared for my role as a hunter. Ciao!" I mock saluted as I fell backwards into the abyss.

.

I tucked my wings and fell faster towards the earth. I caught myself, exiting my dive and flying ad lightning speed. I arced up the side of a cliff over an area known as the Emerald forest in Vale. It was a hot spot for Grimm.

So I began my prowl, focusing on the ground below me. The good thing about flying is that you can focus on anything away from your trajectory and feel assured that you won't crash into anything. However, when such a situation does arise, it will scare you. As I spotted a quick glimpse of a small Beowolf below, I heard a voice.

"Birdie! No!" I looked to my left to see something that should not be in my airspace: a human girl! She was flying (or maybe she was launched by something, I don't know) and we collided in midair, throwing off both of our trajectories.

We both dropped she was trying desperately to reach a red rifle she was holding, as though it were her only chance of surviving the fall. I hated to do this, but she had already seen me. I snapped open my wings again and pulled up just before we could hit the ground. And I stopped myself by back flipping off of a large oak.

That _THUMP_ I made when my feet touched the ground seemed to echo. That was the first step I ever took on planet Earth. I folded um my wings inside of my jacket. I looked at the girl who was still koala-hugging me, holding on for dear life. She had short, dark red hair, and she wore a black and red dress with a combat skirt. Around her shoulders was a red cape and hood. She was so adorable, cute in a childish way.

Looking down at me she jumped off with excitement.

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" she squealed quietly, "You're a Halcyon!" I immediately clapped my hand over her mouth, shushing her.

"Not a word, Red. You saw nothing." There was a growl in the woods and three Bewolves roared at us. Red reached for her hip only to find that her rifle was gone.

"Get behind me!" I said. As soon as she did, I snapped out my wings and spread them to full length. It was a natural defense mechanism that many birds use. The extra wingspan would make me seem much larger than I really was.

The lead Beowolf backed up slightly as it hesitated. I've never seen a Grimm in person before then, and frankly I thought they'd be a little smaller than what I had in front of me. It barked to its wingmen and all three growled, slowly approaching.

I chuckled, "I come down here and I'm presented with a challenge right off the bat. I like it. Red, don't move an inch and don't get in my way. I haven't tested these things out in battle yet." The gauntlets strapped onto my wrists and the blades positioned on my wrists. For safety's sake, the blades were dull. But their cutting power wouldn't come from the sharpness of the blades. The folding blades were a foot and ten inches each and were of a dark blue design. A lighter blue starlit edge rounded the darker blue middle. But the blades were on the back side of my hands. On each side was an axis that the blades hung to right now the blades had locked them in duel wield sword formation. It was one of three possible melee formations, one of which had them positioned like normal swords.

I took deep breath then powered up my aura. Sure enough, the edge of the blades glowed lightly with a yellow light and a faint buzzing sound could be heard.

I sighed with relief. "It works!" I think it's about time I told you just what these crystals do. Like I said before, they don't have a source of power of their own. In fact what they are meant to do, according to my studies, is turn another element into dust power without an element nature. And that element was none other than my own aura, a practically limitless supply of ammunition and sustainable energy (unlike those cheap dust crystals that burn out in time).My semblance with a similar link to the crystal had turned my own flight feathers and irises to the same exact material. This allowed me to supercharge my flight and sight alike.

I dug my blades into the ground in front of me and put myself in a runner's stance. "Let's go!" I howled as I pumped my wings and launched myself forward with my claws. I landed on the chest of a Beowolf and cross sliced at its neck. Blood splattered and the Grimm fell I leapt back to avoid a swipe from the largest of the group.

I slammed my gauntlets together and the right blade switched to the axis of the left gauntlet. The blades switched to the sides of my hands, one by my thumb and one by my pinky, and they formed a bow without a string. I pulled back as an arrow appeared, made of the same energy type.

"Heads up!" I fired the shot into the back of the alpha male's neck. It collapsed with a roar of pain. The smallest of the group, no more than a pup looked to me as I aimed my bow at it, then it quickly yelped, running away into the bushes with its tail between its legs. Either it would warn the rest of the pack to run or it would call for help. Either one was fine with me. I looked up in the tree above me to see Red's rifle on some of the tree branches, so I used my claws to climb up and drop it down to her.

"Thanks!" she said as I slid down the tree, "I'm Ruby. Sorry about running into you like that! Are you in the Beacon entrance exam?"

I shook my head, "My name's Nimbus. Shouldn't you get going? I mean…your exam and all."

She gasped, "I forgot! Gotta find Yang! Gotta find Yang! Gotta find Yang! Bye!" In the blink of an eye, she had dashed off to the north, leaving a trail of rose petals behind her. It was a speed semblance no doubt.

But it made me wonder; what was Beacon?

.

(At the Launch site)

Glynda Goodwitch looked at her tablet in surprise. Very little could surprise her.

"Professor Ozpin. Did you see that?"

The grey haired man took a sip of his coffee and looked, "What seems to be the trouble?"

"It appears that we have an out of protocol interference with one of our students, Ruby Rose. Look." She rewound the video and watched as Ruby collided with an airborne Faunus.

Ozpin pushed up his glasses, "So the legends of the Halcyon were true then. Follow them and we'll see what happens." The video resumed to show the Faunus wiping out two Beowolves in a matter of seconds, saving the young huntress.

"Should I put this in the report?" Glynda asked typing.

"No. Let Ruby go on her way. I'd like to have a word with this boy. Have a mobile unit track her movements and grade his actions as you would one of our students. I'll give further instructions. He might become an important asset to us."

"Ozpin, we took a huge step in adding Miss Rose to our student body. Are you sure that adding this boy will be a good idea?"

Ozpin nodded in response, "It isn't often that you come across someone of his breed."

.

(Back in the forest)

_SHING!_

I began bushwhacking my way through the forest. I had stopped for a moment as I held a cut piece of the Beowolf's mask in my hand. Although it is true that Grimm dissolve when killed, parts that you cut away _before _you kill them don't. So whenever you see a Grimm trophy hung on a wall, it might not be a fake. I had measured it and carved out into a mask that covered my eyes.

I had planned to do this for years since my father died. With this in mind I placed the mask over my eyes. I ran on for a little while until I knew I was safe and out of her sight. After a little while I came to a clearing. A screech filled the air and I saw a shadow flying high above the forest. It was a giant Nevermore!

A Beowolf leapt out of the bushes catching me off guard. But I was saved by a flash of pink.

"KA-POW!" a girl hollered as the Grimm was sent flying through three trees before landing in its place of final rest. This girl had orange hair close to mine, sky blue eyes, and a white and pink combat dress on. She looked much more of a tomboy than Ruby. But she had a crazy energetic expression on her face, as thought she was having the time of her life. In her hands was a large silver hammer that changed into a grenade launcher.

"Aw, you're not Ren", she moaned disappointedly, "Have you seen a guy with black hair dressed in green around here?" I was kind of speechless by that display of brute strength. But I shook it off.

"Can't say I have. Sorry."

She jumped up into the trees making a sound which sounded like the call of a sloth. I could tell that she was also part of the Beacon entrance exam. A giant feather shot down from the sky, impaling the ground in front of me. I quickly ran for the cover of the woods as the Nevermore flew above me. It must have heard the hammer girl and followed the sound. Thankfully it left me alone after a minute.

About ten minutes later I heard gunshots, lots of them. I had come to a clearing and saw some ancient ruins. An epic battle was transpiring. Eight people in groups of four were battling the Nevermore and the biggest Deathstalker I've ever seen. Ruby and three other girls were battling atop a ruined tower with the bird, while the hammer girl was battling alongside another girl and two guys against the Deathstalker.

The boy with the shield analyzed the scorpion and called out orders to the others between strikes. The hammer girl was flung up into the air and slammed her hammer down on the stinger, nailing it into the Grimm's head. The bridge collapsed and the Deathstalker went down with it. The four hunters and huntresses were safe on solid ground.

I then watched as the other four lured the Nevermore into the cliff face. A girl in white froze the Grimm's tail in place as it tried to escape. She dashed back just in time to see a girl in black and another in yellow make a giant slingshot out of a large band and two pillars. It caught Ruby and the girl in white held her in place with a black glyph. They spoke for a moment and the glyph turned red, launching Ruby into the air. Her rifle changed into a massive scythe which propelled her forward further (coolest weapon I've ever seen besides Pluto by the way). She stuck to a line of white glyphs running up the side of the cliff and dragged the Nevermore by the neck.

All went well, until she stopped about ten feet up. The Nevermore's tail was still trapped in the ice below! The Grimm attempted to whip its head around to grab Ruby. She held strong, trying to keep it from moving, but she wouldn't last long. Thinking fast, I whipped out Pluto in bow form and charged up a shot.

"EVERYBODY DUCK!" I roared. All looked to me in surprise and dodged out of the way as an arrow zipped past them. The force of the arrow's flight tore up the ground as it passed. The arrow made its mark on the tip of the ice, breaking its grip on the Nevermore.

"Now Ruby!" I called. Ruby zipped up the cliff building momentum and the Nevermore's head came off as she slammed it against the cliff. All looked to Ruby in an overwhelming silence. It was over. The wind blew and rose petals rolled off of Ruby's cape. My respect for that young girl had skyrocketed.

She saw me in the distance and waved to me, "Thank you!" I heard faintly.

I looked to see that I had dark, starlit feathers blowing in the wind too, just like Ruby's petals. They were rolling from the long coat I wore of the same color. I'm pretty certain that this is a physical manifestation of one's aura. Everyone had something like it. But I saluted them all and dashed into the woods.

_So this is the life of a Huntsman. I love it!_

.

(End of Chapter 1)

HEY EVERYBODY! Beowulf here, not _BeoWOLF, _mind you.

I've been stocking this story away for some editing. I've been having a hard time deciding whether or not I should make Nimbus a boy or a girl (in which case I would have named her Arora Altos) but don't tell him I said that.

I'm going to come clean and say that I am a HUGE RWBY fan. Good job out there Monty!

But heads up, this story will be told from the first person perspectives of two different OC's! The second will come in some time later.

For now watch the as the second wing of Remnant makes his impact!

Beowulf out!


	2. Chapter 2: Welcome to Beacon

Chapter 2: Welcome to Beacon

(A week later)

I had done a lot of traveling since I've landed in Vale. So far, I haven't revealed my identity to anyone else. I learned that Grimm actually had a lot of value and a Huntsman can sell for a profit. There was a high demand for Ursa masks. The stuff was essentially ivory and was referred to in the market as "white gold". Those snake Grimm (I forgot what they were called) are wanted for their skin and fangs, and their poison can be used in medicine. It's extremely difficult to snag some without getting yourself or the Grimm killed. If you killed the Grimm before you could collect the desire part, it would dissolve along with the rest of the Grimm. That was the tricky best part was that there was no limit to how many you could kill because they littered the woods. I had spent the past week killing Grimm and I made a decent profit from it.

Tonight I was in a dance club that had just reopened after a freak accident. I loved the atmosphere here. I took a seat and ordered a drink.

"You're a little underage", he grunted. "Oh, no, no, no. I don't really like the taste of alcohol, it's always too bitter for my tastes. I'm thinking a Dr. Piper, if you don't mind."

The man (Junior, as his name tag said) smiled and slid me a glass bottle containing my favorite soda. Stratos has nothing like this. And I loved the music played here. The one playing right now was called "Red like Roses", and I couldn't help but sing along quietly. Junior's eyes followed someone behind me as I sang quietly.

"Quite the songbird aren't you?" a man's voice said to me.

"Nothing like a lively beat to calm your nerves", I agreed happily.

"I can imagine that someone such as yourself would have a stressful time in the field. Isn't that right, Nimbus Altos of the Halcyons?" I snapped open Pluto in Sword form whirling around. My blade was at the throat of a grey haired man with a pair of glasses, a black coat, and a green scarf probobly in his mid forties. A cane was in his right hand. A kind but serious look crossed his face. What caught me by surprise was the fact that he didn't even flinch.

"How do you know who I am?" I hissed quietly.

"I've kept my eyes on you ever since you met Ruby during the entrance exam. I knew from the start. And you should always know that my colleague, Port, has a knack for telling stories."

I gritted my teeth. Port was the name of that guy I sold an Ursa mask to not long ago. He claimed to be a Huntsman back in the day. I took the blade away from his throat and folded them up.

"Sorry. We Halcyons have a knack for trying to stay under the radar. I didn't catch your name, sir." I took a sip of my drink.

"Right, introduction. My name is Professor Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon." I coughed in surprise as my soda almost went down the wrong way.

When I regained my bearings I said, "_That_ Beacon? The one that Ruby was taking the exam for?"

"The same. We exist to train the next generation of Huntsmen and Huntresses. Typically I find my students in training schools like Signal. But there are a few exceptions. Take Ruby for example. She skipped two years of training to come here. Then there was Blake Belladonna who was completely self-taught. As far as I've researched, you haven't appeared on any school database in Vale, or any kingdom for that matter."

"I learned from watching others. My home world has its own huntsmen training program, but I was never allowed to join due to…..semblance complications. Only recently did I discover mine. So I figured I'd make a living down here, where my kind rarely ever goes."

"Nimbus, I'm here to make a request. I want you to join us a Beacon."

I was stunned. From what I've heard, humans and Faunus typically didn't get along in such a way.

"While you were in the Emerald Forest, I had cameras watching your every move, just like I did for all of the other students. I saw what you are capable of. You can take out large Grimm quickly and I doubt that even Pyrah Nikos could have made the shot you did. And I can assure you that we do have plenty of Faunus within the student body."

I immediately stood up and said, "I accept!"

.

(Beacon Academy)

I looked out of the airship that transported me to Beacon from the city. The campus was far below me and the students looked up at the incoming transport.

"It's beautiful", I said excitedly.

"I knew you'd like it. If you ever decide that you're ready, the area will be considered open airspace for you."

"All in good time Oz. I plan to make friends before I show my species. I want to make a good impression." A few of the students walked out to the transport, so as to see who was new here.

"Here at Beacon we pair up our students into groups of four. And this year we had a perfect class size for everyone to have a team. That was before you came. So unfortunately you won't be having a single team. Rather I'll have you pair up with multiple teams from time to time."

"I see." The doors opened and the setting of Beacon Academy was laid out before me. I stepped out with a sense of excitement, like stepping into a stadium for a concert. Some people muttered upon seeing me.

"Sweet! New guy!" someone said. I looked around to see that there were in fact, many Faunus around here too. Of course I had never seen any Faunus breed other than other Halcyons before. It was a rather strange experience, but a cool one too. We walked until we were in the dorms. Mine seemed to be a little empty with only me inhabiting it, but that would give me plenty of room for my personal belongings.

"If we ever happen to find any new students, they'll join your team", Ozpin assured me, "Go on ahead and make yourself comfortable. If you have any questions come see me in my office in the clock tower."

"Will do Professor!" I saluted him casually.

He turned to leave but turned back and shook my hand, "And Nimbus, welcome to Beacon." And with that, he left. The Wizard of Oz was really starting to grow on me in a good way. I was looking forward to having him as a teacher.

During my first day at Beacon, I stayed under the radar. I had just picked up my school uniform. I had mine specially made so my coat was long, like the one I wore in battle. It was a design that was rarely ever used, but it was acceptable by school policy. Apart from that nothing else happened other than my tour of the campus, and I saw not a sign of Ruby and her team. I would have loved to meet them then.

Night had fallen over Beacon Academy and many of the students had went to bed early, with the exception of a few Faunus, me included.

I ran to the edge of the cliff overlooking the valley below. It was all beautifully lit under the light of a full shattered moon moon. Even if the moonlight wasn't there, I could see perfectly at night, like all Faunus. While in motion I dove over the edge with my spread wings and I took flight for the first time in the past week. Having to hide my wings like this was making me fell like a bird in a cage. That night-time breeze swept me up in its embrace and carried me back to the top of the Beacon clock tower at the center of campus and I perched on the steeple on top.

Only one person had seen me do this. Down in the court yard was a girl with brown hair and a pair of bunny ears. I believe her name was Velvet. She waved to me excitedly and I waved back in my signature two finger wave, then I put my fingers to my lips, silently saying, "Don't tell." I knew that she would respect the wish of a fellow Faunus, and she did.

Grimm howled in the far distance. They kept their distance from the school, knowing that intrusion would lead to certain death.

A mechanical roar filled the air as a small transport dropped off four students at the gates of the school. Sure enough, it was Ruby's team. It was the same group of girls who helped her kill the Nevermore, not long ago.

I saw a petite girl in high heeled combat boots, with a snow white dress with a combat skirt. Her skin was light, flawless with the exception of that scar over her left eye. Her hair was just as white as her dress, and her eyes were icy blue. A rapier was sheathed at her hip. I couldn't help but think that she was pretty. There was a girl dressed in a black dress with a white shirt, a black bow on top of her head, and a sword sheathed at her hip. Her eyes were yellow and catlike, and her hair was black. She was very mysterious at a first glance. The final member of the group was my height exactly, probably my age too. She wore a short sleeved brown jacket with a white shirt underneath. She had a skirt the same color as her jacket which covered her backside like a short cape, and the pants beneath was short and black, leaving the rest of her long legs exposed. The jacket and shirt also failed to cover up her lower stomach, leaver her belly button exposed (perfect inner, by the way). She was very athletic with a perfect frame. Her eyes were violet. But her most outgoing feature of all was that hair of hers. It was down past her hips, was a bright, radiant yellow. Heck she almost seemed to glow like the sun! In a nutshell, she was drop dead gorgeous, a go-to girl. I saw how Ruby was limping a little.

"You okay Ruby?" the girl in white asked.

"She took a nasty hit from that Torch-what guy", the blonde said, "Of course she's hurt! Come on!" she grunted as she lifted Ruby onto her back.

"Thanks Yang", she said snuggling tight. Those two were sisters, I could see it clear as day. I smiled and put my mask over my eyes.

Spreading my wings I launched high above the school, arced over the team, then hid my wings as I fell down to the ground behind them. The girl with the bow in her hair whirled around first.

"Incoming!" she yelled as I zipped past them with a slice of my blades. "That mask!" she yelled getting her footing, "He's one of them!"

"Where is he?!" the girl in white looked around, "I can't see him!"

"Humans and your lousy eyesight", the girl in black muttered as she dashed forward towards me. Our swords locked.

I smiled, "A Faunus. I should have seen that coming. I'll make the game a little fairer." I activated my blades and the light produced illuminated my form.

"He's mine, Blake!" Yang yelled as she darted forward and Blake disappeared in a flicker of black. Yang struck my blades with enough force to push me back on the ground. But I held my stance.

"There's more to you than meets the eye, Goldie", I smirked as I dodged a fireball from her Gauntlets. We exchanged blows, not one met its mark.

"Step aside!" the girl in White jumped forward with her rapier. A series of white glyphs covered the area, illuminating the entire field. Now she had a clear view of me. She dashed back and forth on each glyph, making it very difficult to keep up.

But I started to play her game, launching off of her glyphs in the same manner. My friend up in Stratos had a glyph semblance too, and we sparred in the same way. After a few exchanges, we took to the ground and exchanged in close hand combat. She was fast in her strikes.

"Excellent!" I exclaimed, "You fight with an unparalleled elegance, little lady!"

"Don't you dare call me that you jerk!" she swiped at me making a slight cut in my mask.

"You don't let your temper hamper your strokes either. Impressive."

_BANG! _

The girl in white leapt away as Ruby jumped into combat with that giant scythe of hers.

"Ruby! No! Not in your condition!" Yang yelled.

"It's okay! I've got him!" She dashed forward and swung the scythe right at me. But she stuck it in the ground and landed a kick to my mask while twirling around on the scythe's handle like and acrobat! While I was still on the ground, the tip of the scythe was pointed at my neck. Ruby won!

"Woohoo!"Yang applauded, "That's my girl!"

I smiled and laughed. "Excellent job Ruby! You're a lot tougher than I let on!" I hid my blades and removed my mask. The scythe folded up.

"Nimbus! What are you doing here?!" she helped me up.

"You know him?!" Blake raised an eyebrow.

"He's the guy that saved us back in the Emerald Forest!" Ruby jumped up and down now facing them.

"Oh! You're that guy who sniped down the Nevermore ice trap from like a mile away!" Yang mimed a bow drawback.

"Err…two hundred and forty yards give or take", I shrugged, "Ruby. Would you mind?"

"Right. This is Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and my sister Yang. We make up team RWBY!" I chuckled a little at the acronym.

"Well, Blake, Yang, and Weiss," I extended my blades in bow form and held it out to the side as I bowed, "my name is Nimbus Altos. Pleasure to meet you all! I suppose that The Wizard of Oz didn't give you guys the memo. I kind of fell smack dab in the middle of your exam and Ozpin saw my talents and graded me as he would a student. After watching me for a little while, he enrolled me at the academy."

"Ooh! Just like me!" Ruby almost squeaked in excitement.

"I'm sorry about startling you girls. But I saw your performance by the ruins. I wanted to have a taste of it myself. I was genuinely impressed."

"Well you gave us a bit of a scare", Blake said, "That mask of yours looked like that of the White Fang."

"What's the White Fang?" I asked out of genuine curiosity. The others went silent for a moment.

"You're kidding right?" Weiss asked, "You've never heard of the White Fang?" I silently shook my head.

"Have you seriously been living in a cave for the past few years?" Blake asked bluntly. So they told me about the once peaceful Faunus rights group who turned violent.

I whistled in surprise, "I'm not exactly accustomed to those kinds of racial views. I came from a place that's a little isolated from the kingdoms of Remnant. It's called the island of Stratos. It's a place with its own Huntsman program and it's a place where humans and Faunus get along without a hitch." I lied about that last part. I looked down to the mask in hand, "I just wear the mask of the Grimm for sentimental reasons."

"Well, say no more!" Yang came out of nowhere and hooked her arm around mine, "We're taking you home tonight to talk a little more, Nimbus!"

I blushed. I would be the guy that she tugs along. Just my luck.

(End of Chapter 2)

.

HEY HEY HEY! Beowulf is back!

I would like to begin with a note that I forgot to mention in Chapter 1. You all remember this as the battle in episode 8, Players and Pieces. While that battle was incredible, I did notice one fatal flaw that Monty didn't account for: the Nevermore's tail (still trapped in ice) should have prevented Ruby from carrying it up the cliff face! Sorry to point that out Monty. But it provided a perfect point to introduce Nimbus to the game! So I suppose that it served a great purpose!

Back to the present chapter, I now have a new issue on hand: pairings!

Considering that most of the RWBY cast are girls, Nimbus is open to several possibilities! I hate to say it but Ruby is off the list. I mean, she is almost Hinata-blush adorable, I'll admit it, but Nimbus is 18 and Ruby is 15. A high school freshman and a college freshman. Not going to work. I need responses from you people!

I know that you guys are still waiting for the second OC narrator. Don't worry he'll be there and he'll be ready for a smack down unlike anything ever seen before in the world of Remnant! I will be putting a very new spin on the ball game!

Ultimately, I will be pulling out all the stops and making this story awesome!

Peace out for now! Beowulf Out!


	3. Chapter 3: The First Day of School

Chapter 3: The First Day of School

It was Friday morning and today would be my first real day of class with a weekend to follow immediately after. Our first class was with a very familiar figure.

"Alright everybody take your seats! Cardin! Please settle down. Ooh! Mr. Altos! What a surprise!" It was Mr. Port, I mentioned him earlier.

"First off, before we begin class today, I would like to have Mr. Altos to step forward." I looked around then stepped forward to the front of the class.

"I would like you all to say hello to Nimbus Altos, the latest addition to Beacon. I'm certain you have all heard of the incident in Emerald Forest." The other student mumbled to themselves. "Professor Ozpin has made an exception in having Nimbus as an assisting huntsman, and he will be pairing up with different teams at a time. So I hope that you will all give him a warm welcome!" The students applauded and I sat back down. I took a seat in between teams JNPR and RWBY. Velvet's team sat behind me and she waved to me silently. I nodded with a smile in a silent greeting.

So Port began in his description of newly discovered Grimm, one of which was called a Sickler, a giant breed that resembled a praying mantis. I began taking notes vigorously, excited by this knowledge that I craved. Strangely enough, not many of the students seemed excited about this class. some people looked surprised as I copied the notes precisely and even added a few descriptive illustrations. Cardin's team talked among themselves, throwing glances at me every so often. I knew that they were bad news. But I stayed on task.

The bell rang right before Port could reach the exciting part of one of his stories. As I left the classroom last, Port stopped me.

"It's not all too often that I have a student that interested in my studies. But tell me, how does a Halcyon find his way into a place like this?" I turned to face him.

"I guess that Oz spilled the beans to you", I chuckled, "I've lived isolated from Remnant for years. I mean, sure it's peaceful, but I wanted some adventure in my life. And I...have a personal vendetta against the creatures of Grimm. Look, I have another hour till my next class. How about i sit down and tell you a story, Teach?"

"Of course!" We both sat down and I cleared my throat.

I began, "There was a Halcyon hero named Boreas, the North Wind. He was there in every fight against the Grimm and he would always come out unscathed." I went on to describe the feats of Boreas in great detail, "But then one day, almost thirteen years ago, just as he was leaving the empty battlefield, a monster emerged from the mountainside. It was a giant Nevermore, three or for times the size of the one in Emerald Forest! This battle with the fabled Nevermore, Insomnia, would be Boreas' last. Insomnia escaped, but not before, Boreas could tear away part of the beast's mask with his bare hands." Port was still paying close attention to my tale.

"But what does that make you?" Port asked me.

I smiled as I responded, "Boreas was my inspiration. He's part of the reason that I want to fight the Grimm. I dream of one day hunting down Insomnia and slaying the beast."

I looked at my watch, "I think it's best that I get going. I need to get to lunch!" I turned to leave.

"And Nimbus", Port said before I left, "If you have any more stories to tell, I would love to hear them any time."

.

Lunch period here was something else. You'd think that all of this food would be set for a king and queen. All of the teams sat together. But of course I didn't have a team so I sat down beside team RWBY. Further down, the hammer girl from the forest (I learned that her name was Nora) waved at me excitedly. I couldn't help but laugh at her antics as she tossed peas into Yang's mouth with pinpoint accuracy. Across the table, I could see Cardin's team pestering Velvet.

I formed a ball of Stardust energy in my right hand and lobbed it over to Cardin's head. _POP!_ It exploded in his face and he fell backwards trying to get away. I covered my mouth as I tried to hide my laugh, but RWBY didn't even try to hold it in. Even Blake cracked a smile. Cardin walked way with a headache.

But we stopped as the roar of engines filled the air. Outside, a magnificent transport ship came out from behind the cliff side, circling the school once before steering back to the docking bay. All of the students chattered in excitement. Ozpin stepped out to the now open door and smiled.

"She's here early", was ll that he said before he personally walked out to the transport. Blake's eyes widened as the crown and chain insignia on the side of the ship came into view.

"That's a Mistralian Royal Transport!" she gasped. The other students cheered upon hearing this and flooded out of the cafeteria. I just barely avoided the stampede.

"Weiss, do you mind telling me what's going on?" I said coming out from behind the door.

"I don't know for certain, but i think we might be getting a new student!" she smiled.

.

(Valentine)

I looked out the window of the transport with a sense of wonder. I've never left the boarders of Mistral before, and it felt weird just going to a distant kingdom like this. I told my father about my dream of becoming a huntress and he knew that I wouldn't take no for an answer. Not this time. And with the recent attacks by the White Fang, my father and mother found it best to send me out of the kingdom to a foreign school for safety's sake. The entire court had come to see me off and I knew I would miss them dearly.

Now here I was, descending on Beacon Academy, one of the best training schools in Remnant. My parents knew I would be safe here, as did I. I saw a man in a black suit waiting for us at the docking bay. I saw him talking to my father through the communications terminal. He was a little taller than I pictured him.

"You're not getting nervous now are you?" my father's hand was on my shoulder.

"Who wouldn't be?" I replied, "I mean, this is it! The big league! And...oh." I paused as I saw a crowd of students running to the dock, probably the entire student body.

"Father, before I go, please stay in one piece until I get back." He knelt down beside me and ran his fingers through my hair.

"Val, we're not just sending you here as a precaution. You wanted to become a Huntress and this is the ideal place to do just that! But I promise you that we will be safe. The Fang isn't going to get to us easily."

"Thank you", I said as we landed and the door opened. There stood Professor Ozpin.

"I was expecting you to be here within the week. I didn't think you'd come here in less than a day Sir Gregory."

"I am so thankful that you were able to help us. Now we know that Val can train in good hands", Father shook his hand with gratitude.

"So you must be Princess Valentine", Ozpin said turning to me, bowing for a moment, "It's an honor to have you join us."

I bowed myself, "No, the pleasure is all mine, Professor. This really means a lot to me."

Ozpin motioned to the school as a cart came out of the ship with my luggage. I looked to the crowd and they cheered. I got countless waves and blown kisses and I was rather flattered by this.

I turned back to my father and embraced him in one last hug, "I'll be sure to contact you as often as I can."

"So long as you do, I will too", he said as he walked away. The transport closed and my father, King Gregory Vance of Mistral, returned home. The students parted and a path to the school was cleared.

"Fellow huntsmen and huntresses. Today, we have the rare opportunity to welcome a very special guest, Princess Valentine Vance of Mistral." The students cheered but were silenced when Ozpin raised his hand, "Now I understand that many of you would wish to meet her personally and you'll get your chance. But I also want to inform you that she is also a classmate, an ally in good times and bad, just in the same way you see your fellow students. For now please go about as you were, while the staff gets Miss Valentine situated to her new environment. Afterwards you will have your chance to speak with her and become further acquainted. Students you are dismissed." And thus the students departed.

.

The students finished up lunch as Ozpin and I toured the campus. I backtracked to the arena where two students were sparring. One was a guy with blonde hair and a white sword and shield. The other was a girl with red hair and an orange and red colored sword and shield.

"Is that Pyrrha Nikos?"

Ozpin nodded, "She's been undefeated in the ring thus far."

I was at the tournament last year when she was crowned champion. She was always something of a role model to me.

Our last stop before the dorms was the library. An ideal place to study. But today someone was being a little louder than necessary.

"TRAP CARD!" a girl with long hair slammed a card down on a table as they played Wrisk. The other girl leaned against the back of the chair with tears rolling in a comical manner. I recognized that girl in red from the crowd earlier. I'm pretty sure I saw her balancing on the handle of a large scythe to see me from the back of the crowd. But she appeared to be only fifteen, two entire years younger than all of the other students. Ozpin must have seen something special in her.

Her blonde sister was the only one who noticed me and she waved excitedly. I waved back silently.

Our last stop was the dorms. It wasn't quite as elaborate as it was back home, but it would most certainly do.

"Now, considering that we had an unusual number of students this year, so we don't exactly have a team of four for you yet. But we do have one other student who came in yesterday. So you'll be a part of his team." we walked over to room 316 and Ozpin knocked on the door. _BONK! _Someone inside hit his head.

"Pardon the intrusion", Ozpin peaked inside, "I need to speak with you."

"Give me twenty seconds Oz", someone inside opened a window, "I'm about to finish dusting in here. I don't want you swept up with it!"

Ozpin quickly closed the door. "What was all that about?" I questioned.

"Your roommate has proven to have a dangerously effective way of sweeping out his room. You might want to keep all papers in a safe place when he starts to clean."

A blast of wind shot out from beneath the door and a howling wind blew inside of the dorm. My robe rustled in the breeze. Twenty seconds later there was a light _THOMP_ as the air was blasted out the window.

"Woo! That worked perfectly! Okay Oz, come in!"

Ozpin opened the door to reveal a perfectly swept room. There was a guy putting on a long coat with a starry night sky design. He was busy with his head in a foot locker underneath his bed.

"Good news, Mr. Altos. We've found your first team mate."

"Sweet!" he said, "So will he be coming in a couple of days. I might need time to prepare the room."

"A little late for preparations. I'm already here", I spoke up. He stopped.

"But that means...WHAT?!" he got his head out of the locker and whirled around to face us.

He seemed a little bit overwhelmed to see me. But then again I was a little overwhelmed myself. Something about him was just...unusual, but in all the right ways. His appearance wasn't that of any kingdom of Remnant. Maybe he was from an island off the coastline.

His hair was a little long and sunset orange-gold. and his skin was tanned. He was taller than me by maybe three inches. But what caught me off guard was his eyes. His irises were the same night blue that his coat was and his eyes even had star and galaxy formations that lit up in color.

"I'd like to introduce to you your new team mate, Nimbus Altos", Ozpin told me, then to the other, "Nimbus, I'm pleased to introduce you to Princess Valentine Vance of Mistral.

Nimbus pulled himself together and smiled, but he failed to hide his blush, "Well, welcome your Highness! Go ahead and make yourself at home."

I giggled a little as Ozpin left and I brought in my bags, "The Professor said that royalty is not a factor around here now and I thoroughly agree with him. As of now, you and I are equals, team mates. So just be yourself. Okay?"

He sighed with relief and flopped back on the bed, "Good. I'm not used to being so formal. Can I call you Val?"

Val. I haven't been called by that nickname since my brother left to hunt the Grimm. "Absolutely", I nodded. I was very happy with my new team mate, my partner.

I could tell that the feeling was mutual.

.

(End of Chapter 3)

.

Beowulf is back!

Okay, I've come to an important decision. This story won't have 2 OC's there will be **4!** So I will be altering the story summary soon. But the story mainly focuses on the struggle between Nimbus and another OC which I've mentioned before but still have yet to include.

I also want to point out that each of the characters will be a part of one of the four races that have appeared in the world of RWBY. Obviously the first two are Faunus and human. I will try to bring the next OC in during the next chapter.

Other than that I've got nothing else to say. Please, follow, favorite, and review if you feel like it. Remember, reviews and PM's aren't expected, but always appreciated! I would love to hear your feedback!

Beowulf Out!


	4. Chapter 4: Tutoring

Chapter 4: Tutoring

(Nimbus)

This was an unexpected surprise. I had expected my first team mate to come in maybe a few months or so, but emshe /emcame in not but the day after I arrived. And she was none other than the renowned Princess Valentine Vance!

During my week and a half on Earth, I've done my research on the kingdoms and who was ruling each. So I was very familiar with the royal family of Mistral.

Valentine Vance was seventeen, going on eighteen next month, and was the daughter of King Gregory Vance of Mistral. She was three inches shorter than me and had long wavy brown hair with a slight reddish tint, and it was almost as long as Yang's. She was moderately curved, not over the top, but just right (something I like to call the Goldie locks zone) and she was very athletic. And her eyes were a radiant shade of blue.

When in public she typically dressed up in a Fancy manner. Now that she was here at beacon, she had changed into a much more casual dress code, wearing a pair of long black pants with tennis shoes. She wore a gold colored shirt with the family's royal insignia. Finally her most outgoing article of clothing was that hooded robe/cape. It was similar to the one Ruby wore, only this one was longer, almost touching the ground, and it went over her shoulders. The robe was colored royal purple with an insignia of four daggers connected by a ring of chains.

Simply put, Valentine was a sight to behold and I was lucky to have her as a team mate.

So we spent the day walking around the school. Occasionally someone would join us and ask Val for an autograph. But we stopped when she accidentally backed into Weiss Schnee.

"Watch where you're going!" she complained getting up on her own. Poor Val was on the ground dizzy.

"Oh my Gosh! I'm so sorry!" she said helping her up.

Val and Weiss walked away soon after, talking politics and I was left alone.

"Lucky you", a voice said behind me. I turned around to see the leader of Team JNPR, Jaune Arc, leaning against a column staring at the girls as they left.

"Well, come on!" he nudged me with his elbow in a joking voice, "What's she like?"

"She's...actually really casual about coming here. I can't see a hint of nervousness in her", I replied.

"That's exactly how Weiss was back when she first came in!" Jaune said and I found myself walking to the edge of the campus with him.

"Okay, I have to know. How the heck did you manage to make that shot back in the entrance exams?"

"Um...I used my aura of course. How else could I have done that?" I answered.

"Oh, right of course", Jaune said nervously.

I narrowed my eyes, "You don't even know how to use your own aura yet, do you?"

"Aw come on! How do you know that?!" he said and I rolled my eyes.

"Fine then, tell me what you do know about using it."

"Well I know it can be used to protect you like a shield and that you can bear it as an outward force."

"Then you my friend have a long way to go", I grabbed his wrist and tugged him along to an overlook.

"Look. Before you can even think about using your own aura, you have to find it first. You have to identify and locate what you control."

"And how am I supposed to do that? I mean, I've felt it before but finding it is something completely different", he complained.

"Then tell me this. What do you picture your aura as?" I retorted. That made Jaune sit down cross-legged and put his hand on his chin.

"I always thought of it as a flame, one that completely surrounds me but has immense strength and holds me together."

"No, no, no, no", I interrupted, "You are thinking on a physical level Jaune! Heck aura defies physics in countless ways. Aura literally exists on a spiritual and mental level. And you are looking for your aura in the wrong place!"

"But I thought that-."

"Forget everything that you personally thought about aura, I'm about to give you a crash course, Stratos style. To begin, yes, aura does hold us together, but it isn't some outward force that keeps you in and compresses you. It's the complete opposite! It completely encompasses your entire being, like the blood in your veins. What's more is that _you _are the one compressing it. Your aura is more like water vapor inside of a water heater. It will search for every possible way to let itself out. And regardless of whether it is in or outside of yourself you can freely manipulate it. Now, do as I do."

I stood up straight and took in a deep breath. There was silence. "Remember, the aura that you possess is in every nook and cranny of you physical being; it is the very thing that gives us life. So naturally the place you should reach for it", I put my hand over my chest, "is the heart."

"How will I know when I have it?"

"Trust me, you will know."

"Alright. Deep breath, reach for the heart, silence." He closed his eyes and stood there quietly. All was silent for over a minute.

Suddenly his eyes opened and his entire body shivered, "Yep. definitely found it!"

"There we go. Tell me, what did it feel like when you found it?" I questioned.

"Well...you know what I feels like whenever you shiver. I felt something like that, but it just...rippled out, like ripples in a pond."

"BINGO!" I exclaimed, "That is exactly what I wanted to hear! But you merely touched your aura. Now try and compress it in...let's say your left hand. Get out your shield. Remember that your tools are literally conduits for your aura. Your aura is capable of flowing through your weapon like it's a part of yourself."

Jaune's eyes widened and he whipped out his shield, "It's like putting in a light bulb!"

"Well that's one way of putting it. Now use your aura to enhance your tool in what it was designed for. Make your shield stronger!" I drew my bow and charged up a shot, "I won't be going easy on you."

Jaune was alarmed at first, but then he nodded to himself and put his shield in between us.

"Alright! Here it goes!" His shield glowed gold and the ground rumbled slightly.

I wavered for a moment letting my arrow disperse, but redrew my bow and prepared to fire. I barely pulled the bow back when Jaune burst forward, shield first leaving a golden contrail behind him.

I had made a critical mistake. Jaune hit me and we both went over the edge of the cliff! But the cliff wasn't even on my mind. Jaun had packed the force of an on coming bus in that strike!

"No! No! No!" Jaune yelled as we both fell into the valley below. I doubted that his shield would protect him from impact. I had no choice.

"Hold on Jaune!" I yelled to him as I snapped open my wings, guiding myself over to him. I reached out and he grabbed my right wrist and held to him in the same way. We pulled up and began making our way back to the top.

"Nimbus! Areal attack!" Jaune warned and I looked up to see part of the cliff face coming down on top of us. With Jaune on board there was no time to dodge!

"Jaune! Do it!" I yelled to him. working in sync, I held him up and he activated his shield.

The shield stopped the boulder but Jaune was struggling to hold it. I quickly flipped out my bow.

"Hold on man, just a second longer!" I said as I pulled back the bow. Because my hands were full, I had to use my teeth for the initial drawback.

"NOW!" I commanded letting the arrow go, channeling all of my extra aura into the crystal feathers on my wings. Jaune put out one more smaller burst from his shield. The combined force shattered the boulder above our heads and we shot back up to the top of the cliff and we both tumbled to a stop beyond the cliff face.

We were safe.

Jaune just laid there on the ground silent, I couldn't see if his eyes were open or not.

"You okay over there Arc?" I coughed.

A short silence came before he snapped up right, "That was totally awesome! Did you see that thing I did with the shield dash?! I was like _ZOOM! _Then...oh."

He said that last part as he looked back to me trying to get up again. My wings flapped as I re-positioned myself.

I chuckled, "That certainly wasn't one of my best landings." I stretched my arms and tried to put away my wings. But Jaune reached forward and grabbed one.

"Whoa", he muttered as he looked at my true form, "You're a...Faunus."

"I prefer the term Halcyon", I brushed off my coat.

"So all the legends from the war, they were true!"

"It needs to stay as what you thought they were before, legends. You weren't supposed to see that."

Jaune quickly raised his right hand, "I promise not to tell anyone! You have my word!"

"I believe you", I nodded, "Now about what you did to send us over the edge?" As I said this I looked at the place where Jaune had done his dash. The grass in that area was almost uprooted from the force of it. But I saw that Jaune didn't exactly dash, he launched forward without taking any other steps. That one leap took him fifteen feet to my position and another seven over the edge of the cliff!

"I don't know. I mean, my body just acted on instinct, telling me to make the first strike. Then all that aura went to my feet. I didn't think that a little aura would do this."

"Under normal circumstances this couldn't have happened, you're right. There was only one thing I didn't account for. You have a guarding semblance, which automatically boosts your defensive capabilities. That alongside your dash created a move that I've only seen used once before, the Golden Comet!"

Jaune quickly looked around and used the Comet to smash a boulder fifteen feet away. _BOOM! _The rock was split down the middle. "This is unreal!" he said looking at his glowing shield.

"It may be powerful but you're also putting too much power into this. It's important to learn restraint so you don't overexert yourself." His watch beeped.

"Oh shoot!" I'm supposed to be practicing with Pyrrha right now!" Jaune turned to leave, but stopped to face me again. "Thanks Nimbus, I owe you one. No matter what happens you have the support of Team JNPR."

With that he pointed his sword in the air and I met it with one of mine. First a high strike, then a low. Then I scissor cut at his blade, then we both drew back, spun once and he put his shield forward and it with a fist bump with Pluto in bow form. "Alright!" we both said at once. This would become our routine "hand shake" in due time. But as we both ran back for the Academy, I knew that this had become a benchmark moment for me. Jaune and I would be the best of friends, and partners from different teams.

.

(Arcee)

_STARTING UP LANGUAGE PACKAGE. MEMORY RESERVES SECURE. COMMENCE COMMUNICATION._

I find it rather unusual that I'm telling my story now. Then again, they say that the hardest and strangest part of telling a story is starting it. Perhaps it will become easier as I go along.

I opened my eyes again and the doctors backed away, giving me room to breathe. A man pushed his way to the front of the group, a man with blonde hair, an Atlesian dress code, and a pair of glasses. He was Victor "Gismo" Strauss. He was my father. Well, I guess "father might be an unusual word to use if you're like me.

Immediately following him was a man with black and grey hair and a white suit, and a girl with short orange hair wearing a black and green dress. They were James Ironwood and my "cousin", Penny.

"How did the operation go?" Dad asked the doctor. "It went even better than expected. I'm just glad that she was able to fit the criteria."

"Thank God!" he embraced me in a hug, "I was worried you wouldn't make it."

"Dad, I'm not one to break down easily. I'm just glad that you're here. "How about you Penny? I heard you got into a skirmish at the docks a week ago."

"I'd prefer if we don't talk about that right now. My father doesn't want me to spread details." Penny's father and mine were brothers and colleagues.

The building lurched slightly causing me to feel a little disoriented. "Dad, where are we?" I stood up.

"We're on a transport ship to have you jump into your next mission in Vale. It appears that there was a Grimm attack unlike anything ever seen before. We've lost contact with the target area and we have no idea how many casualties have been piled up. At the present, a student response team has been sent from Vale, but we're closer to the site. So we're having you go in as first response. Eliminate any and all Grimm on site and contact medical response with a report on the casualties. That's just the first part of the mission."

"What else is there?" I asked.

Dad hesitated for a moment, "I've made a difficult decision, but it's one that will be beneficial for all of us. We are sending you to group up with the response team and you'll be brought back to Beacon academy as a student."

"What's do difficult about that? I've been to school before", I was confused at first.

"Arcee, I won't be coming with you this time." I drooped a little. I went everywhere with Dad long before I had turned "sixteen", in regards to my physical state of maturity. Now a sudden change like this was huge.

"Arcee, you're becoming a woman now regardless of how you started life. You need to mature on your own for a little while with real friends. Professor Ozpin has made special arrangements to have you placed with a huntsman team. You'll grow beside them, and I know you'll make friends."

"He's right", Penny spoke up excitedly, "The people at Beacon are the coolest. Trust me, there is no doubt that you'll fit right in!"

"Gismo", Ironwood questioned, "Are you certain about this."

"I'm positive. Besides, we owe Ozpin a debt for what he's done for us. Arcee, go suit up and I'll be waiting for you at the docking bay."

"Right!" I got serious and dashed off to the fitting room. Lives were at stake. But hey, a synthian has to do what a synthian has to do.

(End of Chapter 4)

.

HEY EVERYBODY! Beowulf here!

I just had to get a chapter out because today is a very special milestone. It's my 18th Birthday!

Now for those of you reading Sink or Swim or LCJ, I'm kind of in a writer's block at the moment, so it might be a little while before another chapter is posted for either one.

Back to WOR. As promised, I've introduced my third OC. Like I said, each of my OC's will represent one of each race in RWBY. You know Nimbus and Val (Faunus and human). But Arcee has joined the fray and she is synthian, an artificial person who can generate an aura, just like Penny! But this wasn't the big spin I would put on the ballgame. That comes in the next chapter when things really get serious!

The world of Remnant will never be the same again.

But on that note, it's time to go. My last OC's itching to hit the pages!

Beowulf out!


	5. Chapter 5: Abomination

Chapter 5: Abomination

(Valentine)

It has been about three days at Beacon and I've already made a friend in Weiss. Her father's company has provided supplies for Mistral's military for years and we were on very good terms. It is the glue that has held Atlas and Mistral together for some time now. Today Weiss had challenged me to spar with her.

"Come on Valentine! You've been here for three days and you haven't even shown us your weapon!" Weiss urged me.

"Alright fine. But I'm warning you, it's going to be a little tricky to hold back."

"I'll be the one who decides when I can't handle a fight. Thank you very much", Weiss said as they took their places in the arena.

She drew her rapier and pointed at me in a fencer's stance, "I'd hurry up and make the first move before I do."

"Alright. I don't suppose you've ever heard people refer to me as the Maiden Knight before. Have you?" I said as I reached for my cape and threw it folded into the bleachers.

"Time's up your Highness!" Weiss smiled as she glyph dashed to me.

But now I was ready. I leaped to the side with high speeds and reached for the violet colored pole that was strapped to my back. I spun it around and it extended into a six foot long, double sided spear with golden double edged blades capping it off. Like all huntresses, I made this weapon myself. Its name is Merlin. It was based off a weapon design used by Mistralian flagmen and lancers. But I put a few personal touches into this thing that would make much more than meets the eye. It had a rather peculiar power source. Legends told of a dust crystal that would turn the energy of one's own aura into dust power. My father paid a fortune to get me the piece that I needed before I even had the chance to ask him.

Our blades collided and Weiss looked me over as she examined my weapon. I spun Merlin around and took the offensive as I started a long chain attack, not wasting any movement. Weiss was keeping up with my movements. I leaped back and continued the rapid paced strikes. I then activated the dust and watched as dust charges shot out of the blades every time I swiped at the "out of reach" Weiss.

She was caught off guard and was knocked back by one. But she instantly recovered and fired off a storm of red bolts with a single swipe of her hands. Her shots homed in on mine and canceled them out. While this was happening, she bounced back on a large white glyph and rocketed over to my location.

I stopped firing and slammed one of Merlin's points into the ground. I focused and easily pulled myself into a flip as Weiss sped by. She stuck to the wall with a black glyph and slashed at me. I twirled around on Merlin like a world-class acrobat, dodging strikes and throwing kicks at the hilt of her sword. I pulled my weapon out and leaped forward as Weiss and I traded places. Only this time, I was sticking to the wall without even so much as a glyph. Weiss raised an eyebrow but did not falter as we traded strikes again. I flipped back striking the ground, hitting the wall and back flipped across the entire arena! I stood Merlin upright before I could land, spun around the shaft twice, and then vaulted onto the tip of the blade where I stood for a moment.

All was silent and Weiss was completely at a loss for words for at least twenty seconds, then she asked, "How the heck did you do that?! How are you doing that?! You were hopping and dashing around like you weighed less than ten pounds!"

"That's because I was ten pounds. I have a gravity semblance. That means that I can control where I'm being pulled to", I suddenly flew towards the wall and landed on my feet, "And how strong the pull is." Upon saying that I drifted away from the wall like I was in space! "Oh no! I'm floating away! Weiss! Help!" I began to rise slightly.

"Hold on!" Weiss said as she glyph jumped to me and grabbed hold, only to find that she had gone zero-g herself! "No, no, no, no!" she said trying to grab hold of me again.

"I'm just messing with you Weiss!" I laughed, rolling into a slow back flip, "I can do the same thing to almost anything or anyone that I touch. But the effect wears off after six seconds, so brace yourself!" I flipped around in midair and drifted back and stuck to Weiss, back to back. "There we go. You're safe now Miss Schnee."

"Wait just a minute!" Weiss said as she pushed me away and I came back to her automatically, "I see now! You made my own gravitational pull stronger on you! You basically just landed on me!" Weiss giggled then laughed, I followed suit.

"You know what Valentine, you would have made an awesome sister. I'm officially jealous of you!" Weiss joked around at the last part.

"Well, zero gravity has its perks. It makes sleeping a very blissful experience indeed. You know what? Hold on to my hand. Or better yet..." I reached into my pocket and pulled out a bobby pin and clipped it around the end of my hair and hers.

"There we go. Now, I'm going to let go in a moment. When I do, let yourself go limp, be very quiet, and close your eyes. You'll love it", I said.

"Alright, but just don't drop me", she hesitated. No sooner had she said, that we both drifted and I closed my eyes. Space sleeping, as I liked to call it, was absolute bliss. It clears my mind. Frankly to do that you have to let go of all physical senses. No sight, no hearing, none of that. Now I can finally let go of my sense of touch, because without zero gravity, you're always touching the ground, making this last step impossible. Unless of course you have a gravity semblance.

"Wow", Weiss whispered, "This is amazing!"

"Hold on, we're going down", we slowly drifted to the ground

"Val!" Nimbus' voice rang in the hall as he skidded to a stop in the door frame, "Get yourself ready to go! You too Weiss! Ozpin has placed us and team RWBY on a search and destroy mission!"

"Is that so?" Weiss got back up, "Where is it?"

"The wizard of Oz told me it is the lab of someone named Marcus Maze." Weiss turned as white as a ghost upon hearing this.

"Come on Val!" she grabbed my arm and sprinted with me down the corridor, "Get to the docking bay with Nimbus right now! I'll get my team!" We took opposite directions at the next split in the hall. Weiss seemed a little worked up over this. Something big must have happened.

That meant that I would have to be armed to the teeth.

.

(Nimbus)

Within minutes, all of us were inside of the Bullhead prepping our weaponry.

"You seemed pretty spooked back there Weiss. Is something wrong?" I asked her. Weiss spun the ring on the hilt of her sword and sighed.

"Marcus Maze and my father were partners in scientific Grimm studies while in the field. But after making countless discoveries, it even got to the point where Grimm began targeting him. So his lab is one of the most fortified bases in Remnant. No Grimm would be smart enough to find its way in, or strong enough for that matter. Something terrible must have happened down there."

"I don't think it's anything that we can't handle", I assured her, cleaning my blades one last time, "Speaking of which, we won't be in this alone. It appears that an Atlesian scientist is sending in one Special Forces huntress to assist us. I hear that she's an even heavier hitter than Yang."

"Yeah right", Yang mocked as she pumped her fist, cocking the cannons in the gauntlets, "I'll just have to see for myself!"

"Alright kids, listen up!" Miss Goodwitch stepped into the cabin, "In less than one minute you will be dropping into what very well might be a war zone. Weiss has already made it clear in just how fortified Mr. Maze's laboratory is. So we can only assume that we are dealing with several high level Grimm or possibly even the White Fang. Should it be the former we must destroy all hostiles in the area. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes ma'am!" we all said at once.

"Then Godspeed! You'll be dropping in T minus ten seconds." the door to the cabin closed behind her and the side of the Bullhead opened up to reveal a night sky. Smoke rose from the mountainside forest below.

"Let's go!" I yelled as I leaped out with zero hesitation. The others hesitated for a moment before jumping. I spread my wings when I was one hundred percent positive that no one else was peeking and I glided to a stop near the ground. The lab of Marcus Maze was massive and was built right into the side of the mountain! There was no telling how far the rest of the facility stretched.

Outside of the facility, there were at least a dozen military vehicles that had been completely shredded, all in the same way. Many of the pilots were unconscious, laying in puddles of their own blood. One staggered out from behind a crashed Bullhead holding his bloodied left shoulder. Weiss gasped and ran to his side just as he collapsed.

"Mr. Gilbert! You're alive!" she sighed with relief.

"It's been far too long Miss Schnee. I'm shocked that I'm even in this condition after what happened. Grimm. Unlike anything we've ever seen!"

"Don't worry. We can handle it", Weiss assured him as she sat him up against the side of the building.

A transmission came through on our radios, "Attention all ground forces, you in the shipyard. Do you read me?"

"Professor Gismo! It's Weiss along with the recovery team from Vale. I was told one of Atlas' own would join us", Weiss replied as we looked up a quarter of a mile to see a Bullhead.

"I wish I could join you but today's a rather special occasion. My daughter will be joining you. Stand back!"

A single form leaped out of the ship diving straight down towards the pavement! She didn't slow down until she slammed her fist into the pavement with a thunderous BOOM! The ground cracked as our foreign partner made her appearance. The dust lifted to reveal a seventeen year old girl wearing black pants that were almost skintight. She wore a neon turquoise shirt with a short black jacket, both of which were short enough to let her belly button show. Her jacket, boot, and pants had a small network of turquoise designs that almost seemed to glow in the dark. Her eyes matched that color and luminescence. Her hair was short, black and seemed to lift up slightly in the back. But her most outgoing feature of all was her choice of weaponry. On her hands and wrists were a pair of giant black Gauntlets that were just as big as the engine of a car, and had a large robotic hand at the end of each. Both Gauntlets had the same Turquoise highlights as he clothes. I found it astounding that she could even lift them both so easily.

This girl, in a nutshell, was the ideal modern Cyberpunk.

"Sorry to drop in on you guys, but I have my orders. My father sends his regards", she bowed motioning off to the side with those giant gauntlets, "And you are?"

"Right", I coughed as I stepped forward, "I'm Nimbus. This is Valentine. And this is Team RWBY, comprising of Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang."

The girl giggled in an adorable way and continued, "My name is Arcee Strauss. It's a pleasure to meet you all! Now, shall we begin our search?"

And so we did. The group walked up to the doors and I slammed my gauntlets together and transferred both blades to my right gauntlet where they were placed in a pinwheel formation.

"Alright ladies, stand back", I said as the blades sharpened and spun around on the axis in the form of a giant buzz moments I had cut through the giant metal door and kicked down the new one.

"Alright", Blake took command, "Everybody keep your flashlights on at all times and look behind you once every twenty seconds. Grimm have the advantage of blending into the shadows. Now, everybody split up!" we all left. But I didn't listen to Blake when I turned off my light. All Faunus have perfect eyesight in the dark. No Grimm could escape my line of sight. But I found it odd that this building was quiet, too quiet.

For five minutes, all I could hear were my footsteps and breathing. I saw no signs of conflict or struggle until I saw a bloody smear on the ground, leading off into the locker room. I gagged slightly as I followed the trail until it ended by locker number 47. Blood pooled around the door. I sighed with relief as I heard heavy breathing from inside. So I knocked on the door, "Hello? You okay in there?"

"Thank God!" the door burst open and a young woman fell out. She was probably an intern, I can only assume that. But she was bleeding from her right hip. It was a nasty looking wound, but thankfully not fatal.

"Whoa! Easy there!" I sat her up against the wall, "Some guy named Gilbert told us that there was a Grimm attack."

She shook her head nervously, "It was no ordinary Grimm. It was something worse. They were faster, stronger, smarter. It was..." her eyes closed and she lost consciousness. I immediately proceeded to bring her outside right by Mr. Gilbert.

I dashed back into the tunnels and reported on my radio, "Nimbus here. I've got one injured and I've brought her out. She told me that she saw something different in these Grimm. Stay on your toes!"

I shivered as I saw a trail of blood down the corridor I came down, but I reminded myself that it was that woman's blood. But as I continued on, I found a trail of blood that thickened as I went along. I followed it into a testing chamber and nearly gagged at the sight.

In the middle of the room was a group of maybe twelve scientists, each of them was wounded horribly, but still barely alive. I began to lean on the wall to my left only to discover that it was a cage.

_ROAR_! A Beowolf's claw came inches away from my face. I had backed away just in time. Seeing that attempting to kill me would prove futile, the Grimm backed away and curled up in the middle of the cage. There were countless other Grimm in the surrounding cages. I fumbled for my radio.

"This is Nimbus. I've picked up multiple casualties, and several Grimm. I'm marking my position now", I pressed a button on my headset.

"What about the Grimm?" Ruby asked.

"That's the weird part. I'm in a testing chamber and there's countless Grimm in here, but they're all safely locked in cages."

"Hold up!" Blake broke in, "Cages?! Grimm die within a few days of being in captivity!"

"Then Marcus must have developed a way to keep them alive", I hypothesized, "But something else is wrong. There's strong evidence that a Grimm ran through here, but there aren't any scratches on the outside of the cages. Grimm will always stick up for one another, and any free Grimm would have fought to free its comrades. And I don't see any broken cages at all. Except for..." I never finished. It was only then that I noticed something in the middle of the room.

In the center of the room was a giant test tube. The glass had been shattered and the liquid above the hole drained away. I scooped up a little of the liquid with my fingers. I then noticed how the same liquid was present in places around the room, jumping from one scientist to the next. It was even present in that blood trail I saw before.

I shivered as I realized that we might be dealing with a new breed of Grimm altogether. What happened was a lab test gone horribly wrong!

"Guys! Get everybody you can out the door and come back to my location! We need to guard these guys until help arrives!" I yelled into the radio.

"Good gosh this is horrible!" Arcee complained, "How many Grimm do you think did this?"

"I know exactly how many. The strange thing is that there is only one. All of this damage was done by a single Grimm!"

(End of Chapter 5)

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Hey guys! I haven't updated this story in a while, but I've finally gotten around that wall of what weapons and semblances Val and Arcee will have. A special thanks (once again) to **Firem78910** for inspiring the creation of Val's weapon! You saved me a lot of trouble pal, and you have my thanks. [What? Alright I'll tell him.] Val says thank you too.

Anyway, If you haven't read my other stories yet, I have news! I now have a new story up called "An Epic System Glitch" (ESG) featuring one of my favorite animes, Accel World! So if you want to, give it a read!

Back to Remnant, I got the idea for Arcee's gauntlets from Yang, but they will work very differently. You see, while most of the characters use slashing weapons, there's always that one person from each team that uses sheer force in their attacks. Namely: Yang, Nora, and Arcee. I'm pretty sure that every team has one.

It's becoming clear that Nimbus, Val, Arcee, and RWBY are about to be in for a surprise.

Until next chapter, this is Beowulf signing out!


	6. Chapter 6: Oblivion

Chapter 6: Oblivion

(Arcee)

I found Nimbus' report to be a little unrealistic, but then again, I haven't seen even a single Grimm roaming these halls. It didn't make sense as to why the Grimm he spoke of were still alive. Grimm die after a few days in captivity.

None of this made sense.

Let's not forget that Grimm will kill without hesitation. None of the people we found were dead, only severely wounded. Something about this Grimm was different.

There was a slight scuttling on the ground and I whirled around to see a small black creature scurrying across the room. A slinker. It was a rare breed of Grimm that resembles a ferret, or a mongoose, and never grew larger than their animal counterparts. It looked at me for a moment, then scuttled away down the hall.

I heard it squeaking down the hall then heard a human voice, "Is that all? Are you positive, Sly?" squeak, "Keep looking. You know what to do." A human, talking to a Grimm?! I whirled around the corner to see one of the ceiling tiles being placed again.

"Guys! Get everyone out of here ASAP! I don't think that The Grimm our our only concern", I radioed.

"Look, whatever that thing was, it's gone now. You saw the carnage outside", Yang pointed out.

"Alright", Ruby said, "I think that's everyone! How 'bout you Nimbus?"

"I just got the last one out of the testing chamber" he responded, "I'm heading back to there to investigate a little-WHOA!" A collection of roars, hisses and screeches came from his end.

"Nimbus?!" Val called.

"Lock up the lab right now! The Grimm have just busted free of their cages! All of them!"

"That Slink!" I realized, "It must have unlocked the cages!"

"No time to lose!" Blake commanded, "I'll go outside and protect the people! Everybody else, prepare for high levels of Grimm! Bring your A-game!"

"On my way!", I reached for my belt and tapped the button. My jet pack fired up and I zipped down the hallways, stopping when I heard banging from behind a giant metal door large enough to flay a bullhead through. With the power out, the door wouldn't open on its own, so that meant I would have to bust it down. I set my gloves to impact and the hands hid themselves inside the golve to reveal a metal, speaker shaped design. I wound up for the punch, but an arrow of energy shot at me through the door. Though it missed my shoulder, the door was completely torn away, smashing me against the wall and leaving my imprint lodged in the door itself. That was raw power!

"For Boreas!" a battle cry roared out and I heard the sound of Grimm being sliced and diced. I pushed the door away a little and picked up the entire thing. I could see Nimbus picking off Grimm one by one.

I screamed out a battle cry of my own and Nimbus looked my way. "Holy Spetz!" he gasped and ducked down the broken doorway. At the same time, I threw the entire door down the hall smashing through every single Grimm in its way! Nimbus was sitting back to the wall with his jaw dropping and his eyebrow twitching up a storm, "I...didn't hit you did I?"

"You did", I said as i flexed my joints, "That almost hurt."

"_Almost?!" _he stood up, "No human could survive that without a rebound semblance, and I know you don't have one!"

"That's just it, I'm not human. I'm synthian: a person created using tissue that is half organic and have mechanic. I'm a cyborg! Duck!" He complied as I zipped past him and uppercut an ursa into the ceiling. More Grimm charged down the corridors followed by the rest of the team.

The rest of the creatures were decimated in moments. "Alright!" Ruby and Yang cheered. I activated my semblance and scanned he halls.

"We're clear! I don't sense any other Grimm inside the facility! Wait...Blake! She's injured!" I gasped. We all dashed out of the corridor and ran until we saw Blake nursing a wound in her hip behind a pile of crates.

"Blake!" Val yelled as she leaped over to her like she was on the moon, "What happened?!"

"A sickler happened. I never knew that they could play dead", she groaned as we helped her up.

"Well, you remember what Port told us," Nimbus pointed out, "When in doubt, double tap."

"No one but you remembers what Port teaches", Weiss joked, "Regardless, you need to be more careful next time, Blake."

"Got it", she smiled weakly, "We're human after all. We make mistakes."

"That's right. You just made an even bigger one!" we all gasped as Yang bolted forward and sent Blake flying across the room!

"Yang! What are you doing?!" I yelled at her. Yang only walked over to Blake who had made a crater in the wall.

"Who are you and what have you done with Blake?!" Yang growled as her eyes turned red and her hair began to glow.

"What's your problem?!" Blake struggled to stand, "Why are you doing this?!"

"Because you aren't Blake. You said that we make mistakes because we're human. But the real Blake would have known that she was a Faunus!" Val Nimbus and I gasped.

In that instant, Blake stopped shaking and stood up perfectly fine. A sinister grin crossed her face. "Very perceptive my little sunflower", she spoke. but we heard two different voices, one was Blake's, the other was that of a guy, "Here I was thinking that brawn and brains couldn't fit under one roof. You proved me wrong."

"What's going on?!" Ruby shivered and jumped into Weiss' arms in terror.

"It's an Impostor semblance", I realized, "Those who have it can take on the body and voice of any person they see. Good eye, Yang!"

"Impressive, synthian", the impostor's form flickered to that of a tall boy in black clothes with long black hair and a Grimm mask over his eyes. That slink scurried to him and jumped onto his shoulders.

"I don't want to waste your time any longer so I'd best be going. My intentions have nothing to do with you." He turned to walk to the corridor to his right.

"Hold it mister!" Weiss drew her sword and everybody's weapons sprang out, including the real Blake who now stood twenty feet behind the guy.

"Who are you?" Blake snarled, "Are you with the White Fang?"

The boy cast glances at all of us individually, then frowned, "I have no official name, if that's what you want, _Schnee. _And I do not side with the White Fang. But if you must refer to me in some way, then you will address me as Oblivion, nothing more and nothing less. Do not get in my way." He spoke calmly, but with the Aural authority of an army commander. he silently walked down the hall to his right while the rest of us stood there overwhelmed. As soon as he left our field of vision, we all snapped out of it and chased after him. But by the time we rounded the corner, we saw that the hall was a dead end and the newly named Oblivion had vanished into thin air. "He must have taken to the rafters!" I sighed as I put my gauntlets into public mode and they began to compact a little.

"We have to go after him!" Nimbus said. but was stopped by Val. "No, our mission was to eliminate all Grimm and save the scientists. We're done here.

It was only a few minutes later that the medics arrived to provide emergency care. There were no fatalities, but everyone, especially the ones in the chamber Nimbus found, were severely wounded. A Vale Bullhead came in to pick up my team mates.

"I can't wait to tell the others!" Ruby squealed as they boarded.

"We have to report to Ozpin first, you dunce!" Weiss corrected, then she turned to me as I took my seat beside them. They all just stared at me silently.

"Is...something wrong?" I questioned.

"Don't you think you might have gotten on the wrong Bullhead?" Blake asked, "This one's going to Beacon Academy."

"Then nothing's wrong", I tilted my head and smiled, "I guess you didn't get the memo. My dad is enrolling me at Beacon. I'm your newest classmate!"

Nimbus and Valentine looked to each other and back to me. Val stood up and shook my hand, "Then that means that you are officially the third member of me and Nimbus' team."Welcome!"

As I became acquainted with my new team, something stirred in the back of my mind. Oblivion. I scanned the area with my semblance to search for him. What was he doing there? There was no possible way that he was the one who destroyed the compound, he was an unarmed human. and despite the fact that he wore a Grimm mask, the people said that the destruction was caused by a Grimm. So I scoured the land as we passed in search of a monster who could have possibly done this.

.

(Oblivion)

_Good riddance. _If only those people had actually stuck the puzzle pieces together. That "Yang" had one heck of a right hook. But my Impostor Semblance was flawless, it was my acting skills that I needed to work on. I had almost left unnoticed, that accursed Lab. Not many knew what really happened within the confines of the laboratory that night. Everybody thinks they know Marcus Maze. Everyone thinks they know what he was concocting behind those walls.

I knew better, and I should know because...I was there.

Nimbus was very right with his assumption, a lab test gone wrong. That was partially Marcus' handiwork. His work was on the teetering edge of the grey zone, in terms of human and Faunus morality. But I was both, a half-breed. Search closely beneath my hair and you'll see a pair of insect antennae that I can raise or hide on a moment's notice.

Marcus did mean for his tests to bring a better future for mankind, he really did. The means he used to achieving that goal were in that grey area I mentioned. Marcus had a hatred for the Grimm stronger than that of any man. I had a very different point of view.

That's because _I _was one of his test subjects. Scratch that. I was _the _test subject. The one of present interest. There was no full Grimm who had decimated the labs of Marcus Maze. It was the work of a Half-Breed turned _Tri-Breed. _

As the remaining forces departed and the lab was abandoned, I looked at myself, my real self, in the reflection of a pond lit up by the full moon.

I understood why Blake first assumed that I was a White Fang associate. The Grimm mask I wore, kind of portrayed that message falsely. I thought back on what really happened earlier tonight.

(Beginning Flashback)

My eyes opened and I saw that I was in a test tube, full of a slightly blue, transparent liquid. All I wore was a pair of green waterproof pants.

I was scared. What would happen to me?

Men in white lab coats wandered the room, taking notes of me and the monsters inside of the cages. Grimm, dozens of them, no two were of the same species. I didn't understand how these Grimm could still be alive in captivity. No human can keep a Grimm alive like this. I could faintly hear voices of the humans, and Faunus that crowded the room.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" one asked.

"Trust me, it is."

I had been raised here ever since I was orphaned as a child. But I never imagined that this was what they wanted. I tried to struggle against my bonds, but they only tightened. The leader, Marcus, turned to his colleagues and spoke.

"My dear friends, Faunus and human alike, we face a time of struggle in Remnant. The Grimm are becoming more numerous, more destructive, more difficult to control. The schools have done their part in giving us the start we all needed", he began flipping switches at the control panel, "But it's time to usher in a new era of Huntsmen. I'm sure you all know about the projects we've developed over the years. What we have here", he gestured to me, "will undoubtedly be our first surviving, and successful specimen." My back stung suddenly as the first needles pierced my shoulder blades. I screamed in pain.

"This conflict has led us to a difficult, but unavoidable conclusion: in order to eliminate the Grimm, we must use a Grimm." The needles delivered their cargo and removed themselves from me. Another hit my lower spine, and one hit each of my limbs. Blood began to ooze into the tank, forming ribbon-like formations in the liquid.

"And for this instance, we chose the strongest Grimm we have in our kennels: a record breaking Sickler, a Deathstalker, and a little something extra: the human factor."

No sooner had hose words reached my ears, I felt the pain. The places pierced by the needles ached tremendously and the bonds holding me released to permit growth. I dared not look. That growing pain I felt in my back turned into a tearing pain for a moment and I tried to scream. After two minutes, it was all over. The leader spoke on about this "project" but I had heard enough to understand. I was nothing more than a science project to them. No, I was lower to them. I was merely an expendable variable.

"That is why we must take this path. With this new technology we can customize our Huntsmen down to the semblance they bear."

I looked at myself. My skin had turned black in patches around the puncture marks. Around the center of each, perfectly placed, were bonelike structures resembling the mask of a Grimm. At my wrist, sprouting out just beneath my human hands, was a pair of black mantis claws with translucent blades. Growing out of my lower spine was a long segmented tail with a small golden tip. The tail of a Deathstalker. It was seven feet long. I shivered and my tail wrapped around me. But the next change was behind my back. I could feel a shell. It split open to reveal a pair of insect wings the size of my arms. I shut them tight and held myself in the embrace of my own tail. I felt like a kid holding his blanket. I then felt my face and I grasped a mask, now completely fused over my eyes. I looked to the leader, Marcus. I had trusted this man for years. "How can you people do this to me?" I muttered, crying quietly. I could feel a dark hunger boiling deep inside of me. These Faunus and humans, my own species, had turned me into this monster. Not Grimm, Faunus, nor human. I was nothing more than a freak.

"This model here is the first of our lineup, a Velocion!" My anger flared and I lashed out with a single claw, causing cracks to form in the tube. This rage was inhuman! Then again I wasn't a human or Faunus anymore, was I? I backed up against the other side of the tube and I pushed off, crashing into the broken side. The tube shattered and the liquid poured out, carrying me with it.

"You monster!" I growled as everyone backed off. I dashed forward, slicing four of my captors at their chests. "I refuse! You will suffer at my hands!" The next five minutes were too gruesome to describe. But by the time I had finished, every single person in the room was left barely alive. But Marcus had escaped somehow. I roared in frustration that my target had gotten away from me. That roar, the ferocious scream of a monster. The Grimm in the other cages trembled, backing as far from me as possible. I passed them by. The pain returned briefly as my new features disappeared, like they never existed. I ran through the compound and gathered my clothes. I needed to get out of here. But I made a note to myself. No human, or Faunus could be trusted now. All who crossed me would feel my wrath.

(Ending flashback)

I looked at my moonlit pond reflection. I wrapped my tail around myself for a brief moment. My wings emerged from beneath my jacket through a special design that Marcus designed. Okay, I'll admit that the design was sleek and well engineered. My sickler claws came into existence. They were still coated in the blood of the scientists I attacked. These same claws had destroyed those airships, and the lab. My rage, the rage of an untamed Grimm, had caused so much pain. But I had acted in whatever way would protect me. But I held back enough to spare their lives.

But Marcus was near the bottom of my list of concerns for now. I could disappear into any nation and never be found again if I wanted to. But I had a tragic history to address. Before I could even think about living a normal life, I would settle the score with an entity that caused me pain years ago. Running into Weiss Schnee tonight reminded me of that all too well.

(End of Chapter 6)

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.

HAHAHA! Beowulf has returned!

It's finally ready! My forth and final OC has hit the pages: the mysterious Oblivion, (Just to annoy him I'll call him Obi).

As I said during the last several chapters, each of my four OC's will represent the racial powers of Remnant. Nimbus is Faunus, Valentine is Human, and Arcee is machine (synthian). It may or may not have been obvious to you what was left. Obi, the final OC, holds the place of the creatures of Grimm themselves!

But also note that each of the characters represent their races at the highest of levels. For example: Nimbus as a legendary Faunus breed. Valentine is royalty. Arcee is mechanical engineering at a super-sentient level. And Oblivion rises above all other Grimm because he has a Human mind, and a soul. yet he has the strength of a Grimm. ( I actually noticed all of this not long before I finished this chapter.)

But now a question remains. Who will he side with? We'll all see what the future holds in the next chapter!

Peace out!


	7. Chapter 7: Motives

Chapter 7: Motives

(Valentine)

"WHAT?!" Yang and Ruby's shrieks rattled the library. Yang continued, "How could you not have played Wrisk?! It is the king of board games!"

"Give her a break, Yang!" Ruby vouched for me, "Wrisk hasn't been sold in Mistral yet!" Yang silently nodded.

"Don't keep me waiting!" I unfolded the board, "What do I do?" Yang began shuffling the cards and passed out the appropriate number.

"It's easy, you play one of the four kingdoms and you fight armies, monsters, **and you don't stop until all of Remnant is tight in the palm of your hand!**" She raised her voice and cackled with excitement as she balanced on the chair. She kicked into a back flip off the top of the chair and landed softly back in her seat, "Really, it's fun!"

"You just say that because you. Win all the time. No one but Jaun has come close to beating you."

"I see", I finished the instructions, "I'll be Mistral, naturally."

"OOH! Let me play!" Arcee skidded into the fourth and final seat, "I'm Atlas!"

"I'm Vale!" Yang claimed.

Ruby pouted, "Come on! I always get stuck with Vacuo", but she perked up when she slammed a card down on the table, "But that means that I can launch go full out right out of the gate! I engage Blitzkrieg on Atlas using my Banshee scout fleet!"

Arcee mocked a gasp, "How could you?! This is war! I deploy Dying Valor!"

They battled it out, and out of nowhere, Yang said, "HAHA! Your last attack just activated my trap card: From the Mountains!" Ruby and Arcee both screamed in horror as their armies were swept off the map by Yang's pawns, "I win!" I quickly examined the battlefield and something clicked. That card in my hand and that precise location where Yang's forces were located.

"Not quite!" I whipped out the card and slammed it on top of the "valley". The inside of this card had traces on iron, and there was a magnet inside of that particular part of the board. Connecting the two caused that part of the board to spring open, revealing an areal view of some ancient ruins.

"I enact the a scavenger's card: Blood sacrifice!" Yang's pieces were all thrown off the table as the ancient "deity" was summoned using the blood of the soldiers who fell to Yang's forces, "Divine intervention!"

Yang was furious, "Where the blazes did that come from?!"

"You didn't read the back page of the instructions did you." I flipped to the back page that had a list of similar points. Yang began to sweat profusely, "You did not just do that."

"Yang! You cheater!" Ruby raged after her sister, chasing her around the table until she used her speed semblance to tackle her to the floor, "All of those times I could have won because of that trick!"

I laughed as Arcee hopelessly tried to break up the fight, "Valentine! Get Blake or Weiss! If this doesn't stop soon I'll have to use force!" Even without her gloves, Arcee had incredible physical strength, but she would hate to use it now. So I looked for Blake for a moment and saw her at a desk. I silently looked over her shoulder to see a sketchbook. She was currently drawing a winged figure that looked very familiar. The surrounding area was covered in weapon designs, sketches of people and more. Perhaps I should get Weiss instead. So I walked back.

"Val! I said get Blake!" Arcee was trying to get in between the sisters.

"Look, I would but she seemed rather immersed in that sketchbook of hers."

"WHAT?!" Ruby and Yang instantly stopped their fight and got up in my face.

"Was she upset?!" Ruby asked.

"What was she drawing?!" Yang interrogated me.

"Hey! Calm down! So she's drawing. Big deal", Arcee butted in.

"No, that is a very big biggie!" Ruby insisted, "Sure she always has a book in hand, and sure she's antisocial. But she only pulls out that sketchbook whenever she's really got something big on her mind. The last time she pulled it out she couldn't sleep for a week!"

"Now, I want you to give me a clear answer", Yang grabbed my shoulders and asked me in a manner more serious than I've ever seen her before, "What was she drawing? Was It a guy with a katana, red hair and a mask?"

"No. Nothing of the sort. She drew some awesome pictures of us. Let's not forget to mention that she drew some weapons designs that I never could have dreamed up."

"Was there a...focus of her works? What was the centerpiece?" Yang asked once more.

"I think it was an...angel. I don't know, someone with wings. And she almost seemed to be excited! I don't think I've ever seen Blake smile like that on her own."

Yang and Ruby gasped then squealed with delight.

"That is something completely different altogether!" Ruby said hopping up and down excitedly, "She only draws things and people that she's seen before at some point. She must have seen an angel!"

"I don't think that was an angel you're thinking of", Arcee corrected, "I'm pretty sure that the most logical explanation is that the winged figure is a Faunus."

"That makes a lot more sense", Yang put her hand on her chin, then she continued, "Actually, that makes perfect sense! You remember the stories that she told us about the Halcyons right? She always said that everything would change if the Halcyon Faunus were still around. She must have seen one!"

I regretted to inform them that the drawing, although the centerpiece, was incomplete. The one group of things that the figure lacked were facial features. For now, all we could do was watch the skies for Blake's archangel.

.

(Nimbus)

Late that night, I got dressed, slipped out of the school campus and out to the side of a cliff to Forevermore Oak. Forevermore Oak was a large live oak that had taken a strong hold to the edge of the cliff, and school legends told that its roots stretched out as far as the clock tower of Beacon, so it supposedly had the most firm hold possible. I climbed up the tree to the top branch that almost acted like a loft. I looked out at the stars, heck I could faintly see the lighter blue interstellar clouds of the Milky Way! I unfurled one of my wings and held it up to the stars. My crystal flight feathers blended in if the nebula formations weren't there.

I began to think back on the past several days. I had thought that I would get my first two team mates in a few weeks, as opposed to the few short days it had really taken.

Then I thought on Stratos. I missed my friends and the little family I had left there. What would they think if they came here to Remnant? I wondered if they would side with the White Fang. I would have no choice but to fight if that happened.

With this in mind, I began to sing a song called Skyward Heart. Something else: many Halcyons are essentially songbirds and have a range of voice that bests any other race. I don't mean to brag, but everyone back home has always told me that I have the best singing voice. I can't really give you any other unbiased answer. Singing calmed my nerves every time.

While in mid-verse, however, I was interrupted by a pair of hands wrapping around my waist! "Oh Spe-!" a finger to my lips shut me up.

Yet another person had seen my wings, "Don't speak, Nimbus", a soft voice whispered, "You don't how much this means to me." I could not discern who it was just yet. Whoever it was, she was almost my height, had light skin, and was moderately curved. I could hear the sound of purring, like a cat.

I opened my mouth to speak but was silenced when the girl leaned her head almost over my shoulder and tenderly kissed the side of my neck. I reached back with my hand to find a strand of long black hair and a pair of cat ears on top of her head. I shivered as my natural instincts made me alert. I turned my head to her once she let my neck go, but she instantly reached up, put her hands on the back of my head and kissed me on the lips.

I went weak at the knees and we both slid down the trunk of the tree and back to solid ground. The girl sat on top of my stomach, laying down on my chest as she kissed me. My first kiss.

It wasn't until she broke the kiss ten seconds later to reveal the one girl who I least expected.

She was Blake Belladonna.

Now in the light of a full (shattered) moon, I could see a pair of black cat ears that had once been hidden beneath her bow. Part of this made me absolutely terrified. You see, Halcyons have a natural wariness of members of the feline race. After all, cats typically fed on any birds they could get their claws on. I guess the same fear made me scared of Blake. Let's not forget that she was granting me my first kiss,_and_ she knew my secret. My wings almost seemed to curl up, trembling, and for once in my life, I couldn't do anything. Blake saw my fear and gently brushed my cheek with her hand, successfully calming me down a little.

"Look, I promise I won't tell anyone. I understand that it must mean a lot to you. I spoke to Ozpin and he explained it to me."

"That's not very reassuring", I struggled to say. My wings, folded back a little more.

"I'm sorry about this, but I had to talk to you in private. I have to know. Why did your kind disappear?" Blake asked kindly.

I was reluctant to respond at first, but I answered, "The war. We took the war hard enough to isolate ourselves from civilization for centuries, from both humans and other Faunus alike. I know I might have come on my own initiative, but I don't think Stratos will share my beliefs", I closed my eyes for a moment, "I'm sure that everyone forgot about what we did back then."

"No. Do you honestly think that you have been forgotten? The people of Remnant look to you as heroes who sacrificed everything to end the war, even if it meant bloodshed of your own. The human and Faunus see you all as legends!"

After a short pause, she continued, "I just couldn't hold it in when I heard that you were here, the real you. I've hoped for something that can end the trouble down here, and...I just think that your return would be the boost we need to end the conflict down here." Now that was much more comforting. My trembling stopped and I extended my wings to wrap around Blake and myself.

"Not yet. I'm...just not ready for that sort of commitment yet. I have to settle down first, and establish myself as a huntsman first. I want to try and make a good impression when the time comes." She leaned in for another kiss tilting her head this time. She held me tight and i held her just as tight with my arms and wings. She completely took over the situation until we both ended it.

"Then why are you still kissing me?" I blushed as I said, "Not that I have a problem with it." _Again _she pulled me into a kiss, much shorter, but this one had a flash of tongue. She pulled away for the last time, licking her lips and smiling.

"I just wanted to thank you. You just...gave me a better sense of hope. You're arrival here just gives me one more reason to fight on."

Now my nervousness was practically gone. We began to lean in one more time for another exchange, but we were interrupted when a Bullhead parked right outside the doors of the school. Ozpin met a man at the door, backed up a little in shock, then ran back inside in a hurry.

Within moments, lights went on in the dorms as JNPR, RWBY, and my team were woken up. "Three teams at once?!" I gasped as I hid my wings and ran to the messenger.

"What happened?!" I asked him.

"Good you guys are out early! Get in we'll all be leaving for Schnee Headquarters in Atlas momentarily. It's the White Fang!"

.

(Oblivion) (White Fang meeting)

The Schnee family would suffer tonight. And I would see to it under the mask of the White Fang. I've heard about how the Schnee and the Fang had been fighting for years, why exactly is beyond me. But in order to sneak in, I had to prove to them that I was "Faunus". So I had to show my antennae. They were rather pleased to have someone such as myself in their ranks and that I had already picked up my issued Grimm mask. If only they knew the truth.

I used my semblance to "suit up" in White Fang standard issue armor and they offered me a gun. I was reluctant at first, but they insisted. I thought about that incident years ago as I was loaded up into a bullhead. I remembered how I had suffered, how _they _had suffered. Nothing was left in me but a sense of hatred. The hatred of a Grimm.

The lieutenant rolled down the aisle checking up on each soldier in a roll call. Each person was given a nickname. But they came to me and the jackal eared Faunus looked over the list twice. "You there", he said as I stood up in response, "you don't appear on this list."

"Private Apollo Noctos. The higher ups placed me in the convoy last minute. I was code named Mantis, sir." I lied.

A female Faunus stood up at the front and said, "He speaks the truth sir. I was there when Captain Ryan gave him clearance to join."

"Hmm. Alright then Mantis. Welcome to the White Fang."

"Glad to be here, sir", I smirked evilly as he walked away, "It's about time that justice was dealt." He looked back over his shoulder with a smile of agreement.

A minute later the bay doors opened. "Go! Go! Go!" someone yelled as we stormed the scene. Our target was the Schnee Dust Foundry in Atlas.

"This is Boris speaking", someone said over the com-link, "Just to recap, Group Feral has to go in and take all the dust you find. Slipstream will eliminate all opposition standing in your way. Do not hesitate to use lethal force!"

But I broke off from the group and deactivated the tracking system. I wasn't going to either place and I had no interest in Dust. I rounded the facility and placed issued explosives on my selected targets. When the time came I would set them all off at once with a remote detonator.

The Schnee's hired soldiers had confronted the White Fang. But all of a sudden the fighting stopped as a person from each side stepped forward. One was the soldier who addressed me on the bullhead. The other was a man with long grey hair and a scar over his left temple. All of the other soldiers got behind their respective leaders and stood back. Both of them pulled out swords and circled each other. But now that my plan was set to go, I could wait for the right moment to strike. Swords clashed far below. No one could land a hit for the first two minutes. Then all of a sudden the ground exploded at Boris' feet, sending him to the ground.

"This is the end!" the guard said as he raised his sword to strike.

"You're right", I said, dropping from the ceiling. The guard had looked up from the fight but he received a claw to the chest. "I'm sorry Boris, but his one's mine." I removed the blade and the guard collapsed.

"Well done Mantis. Justice has been done!"

"Indeed", I said. Blood splattered and both crowds gasped to see what just happened. I did the one thing that no one expected, my left claw had pierced all the way through Boris' chest. He fell to his knees. "You traitor!" he wheezed, "How could you betray your own people?!"

I smiled, "It's simple really. I am not a Faunus. I _was _a half breed."

Boris reached for my mask in an attempt to remove it. But he discovered that it was stuck tight.

"Then why attack the Schnee?" the guard wheezed, "That makes you human!"

"Seven years ago, Granite Bark. Does the name Eastman ring any bells, Captain Isaac?" was all that I said. With that, I slashed with my claw, sending Boris to the ground in a pool of his own blood, "No matter. If you remember me or not is a minute point now. I will be the one to end this fight, right here, right now. I don't care if you are human or Faunus! You have both wronged me. The only race that has ever done any good for me", my claws, tail and wings exploded from beneath the armor, "were the creatures of Grimm! It is thanks to their powers that you will feel the wrath of Oblivion!"

(End of Chapter 7)

.

Beowulf here!

You already knew that Oblivion has a grudge against the Schnee. But backstabbing the White Fang because of another personal agenda?! Who saw that coming?

Nevertheless, Obi is already dropping hints about his past. Things are about to get serious in the next chapter.

Second, Nimbus' life. Just as he's in the middle of a moment that could have led to a flashback, Black comes out of nowhere. I was expecting Val or Yang to make the first move, but _Blake?! _It takes a lot to make that happen. Nimbus you lucky son of a Grimm.

Back to the Atlas situation, Beacon's going all out with the response team. But I'm not worried about Obi being defeated. What I'm worried about is whether or not Beacon's best will be enough.

I might have just created a monster.

Beowulf out.


	8. Chapter 8: NOVA

Chapter 8: NOVA

(Arcee)

I was in a bullhead with the response teams on my way back to Atlas. That was the second big attack in less than two days! But It was the White Fang this time. And they were knocking on Weiss' front door. Blake and Weiss were the most upset about this, but why the former was so worked up was beyond me. I would have to be careful not to overexert myself; regardless of who they were, they were still Faunus, people. Unless there was no other way, killing was out of the question.

I began to attempt contact with the guards on the ground. "This is Beacon response team to ground. Beacon to ground. Do you read?" Static. "Ground forces this is Beacon response team. Please respond, over." Static. Then a voice came through.

"This is Sargent Marco, Schnee security. I read you loud and clear, over."

"This is Arcee, from Strauss Laboratories with Weiss Schnee. We're approximately four minutes out and we need an idea of what we're facing. Over."

"It's bad. They just came out of nowhere! No! Captain Isaac is down! I repeat! Captain Isaac is down! He was dueling with that Fang leader, Boris and some other guy jumped in and stabbed him in the back!" There was a series of horrified gasps on the other end, "Scratch that! He just took down Boris too!" A horrifying screech nearly overloaded the mic on his end, "No! What the hell are you?! Stay back! Stay-", the line went dead. Everybody was listening in over my shoulder.

"Do you think it's a Grimm?" Weiss asked.

"I don't think, I know it's a Grimm. We're here!"

The door opened up and all of us piled out of the bullhead. The situation here was very identical to Marcus Maze's Lab attack. The siege here was happening right in front of us. The soldiers, once fighting as a group, scattered around the compound, breaking into separate fights. But there were a few of the soldiers that had completely forgotten about the siege and were trying to get to safety. I even saw a Fang and a Guard standing back to back as they turned corners. I fired up my jetpack and dropped beside them, causing both of the paranoid soldiers to take aim at me.

"Hey! Chill out guys, I'm a Huntress." The faunus walked over to the wall and slid to the ground in exhaustion.

"This was not in the job description!" the guard looked around in panic.

"There's no point in even being here with that guy..._thing _running around here! No one's ever defeated Boris before!" the faunus hyperventilated.

"Calm down, both of you!" Weiss, joined me, "Once this thing is brought under control we will assist the wounded without discrimination."

"Why the hell should we believe you, Schnee?" he growled until I set my Gauntlets to cannon mode and he shut up.

"Right now, neither side of this fight has the luxury of bickering among themselves", I clarified, "If you all don't leave or do something productive you might-"

_**BOOM!** _The building behind them exploded, throwing the faunus back towards us. At the exact same time, seven other explosions went off around the compound.

"The hell?" The Fang guy rubbed his head, "Those were our issue explosives, trigger detonated! This was a Dust retrieval mission, not an all out assault!"  
>I activated my semblance and scanned the compound. A single figure leaped out of one of the burning structures.<p>

"I don't think the White Fang is in control of this fight anymore," I stopped the scan, "it's that thing! The one from Marcus' Laboratory!"

.

(Oblivion)

This entire exploit was working out even better than I'd predicted. The Fang's forces and Bullheads were shot, and The Schnee factory and security force was in just as bad a shape.

Chaos, destruction, fear. My work here was done.

I almost let my Grimm form disperse but I was interrupted.

"YOU!" a familiar voice called out to me. I turned around to see the synthian girl from that ragtag team that I met in the labs not long before.

"You guys have a bad habit of following me around. That's rather rude of you."

"You have a habit of bringing disaster behind you", she snarled, "Did you cause this?!"

"So what if I did? It doesn't concern you, synthian."

I dodged out of the way of the robed girl's strike and she, said, "You're right! It concerns all of us!"

"Ah, the famous Valentine Vance of Mistral. I didn't recognize you before."

Pain shot through my right shoulder as an energy arrow shot down from the top of the warehouse, a good distance away.

"That actually hurt you know", I said as my arm secreted black smoke and healed, "Since you all seem to want a fight, I won't have any choice but to leave."

"Guys, I found him! Everyone close in on my position, but use extreme caution. It's a special case." I narrowed my eyes. I saw a shadow in the doorway behind me and I dodged out of the way of a bullet coming from a girl in black.

I dashed for the other door and collided with a girl with fiery yellow hair. I dodged a punch from a pair of Vulcan Gauntlets (as I liked to call them) and slipped past her in the hall, quickly losing them.

No one had seen my natural form yet, so all I had to do was get out of here alive and then I could live a semi-normal life. I was only moments from that. I had reached the exit and I breathed in the cool night air without stopping. There was a full moon. But before I could take to the skies, a gale of rose petals blew past me. I stopped dead in my tracks in surprise. I hadn't accounted for this last one to be trailing me. I had to think fast.

I coiled my tail around myself as a first line of defense. I had to think like the predator that I had become, not prey. The rose petals got caught up in the wind, blowing in front of my face. One blew across my eyes and a red and black figure now stood in the tree behind it. Rose petals flowed off of a red cape and hood. The aura coming from this girl was indescribable. Something about her stood out from the others. I flipped open my claws. She smiled, then disappeared in a gust of rose petals. I leaped up just in time to dodge three gunshots from my right. I saw her and she had a sniper rifle in hand then she disappeared again. All of a sudden there she was again, coming right at me from the complete opposite direction! No one on earth could be this fast. Her sniper rifle twirled in her hand and changed into a giant red scythe, a beautiful weapon in every sense of the word.

She met my blade with hers and I caught my first full glimpse at her face. I was surprised to find that this girl was only fifteen, two years younger than her fellow team mates. My eyes caught her finger moving towards a trigger, and I realized that this weapon, even in this form, was still a gun, and that its previous form only suppressed its kick. I ducked as the scythe sliced over my head with extra force. Using another shot, she darted off in a circle around me, rose petals forming a cyclone in the air. I could barely see her now. It would only be a matter of time before she did a complete ninety degree turn back towards me. No sooner had I thought that, she darted in, scratching my right shoulder. I winced but barely dodged the second. The third time came, but this time I stretched out my tail and tripped her. She rolled to a stop with her scythe ten feet away. My Grimm side began to take over a little more. I walked over to her, picked her up and held her against the tree.

"You have heart, human. You put up a hell of a fight." My tail stretched out and put the point close to her neck. "I admire your skill, and at such a young age too."

"Let her go!" a girl's voice called. I turned around to see the two girls and the guy I saw before, plus seven others. I whirled around and held a blade to Ruby's throat.

"Don't come another step closer. I don't want to have to do this to someone with her talent, but I will if it means getting out of here." The girl in yellow and the guy with the orange hair prepared to fight. But a girl in white stepped forward.

"You had your chance to fight and you all let him slip away", then she said to me, "Despite the fact that you are a Grimm, I can only assume that you have the decency to accept a challenge."

I removed my tail. "A challenge?"

"Right. You let Ruby go and you and I will fight, alone."

"Weiss, don't!" Ruby said, "Get Professor Ozpin if anything. Don't fight him!" I released Ruby and let her run back to the others.

"I accept, but the others may not interfere."

She nodded and turned to Ruby, "I've never let the team down before," she drew a rapier and pointed it at me, "and I swear on the name of Schnee that I won't start now."

My inner Grimm was pleased by this. The others ran off to the entrance of the building.

"Weiss, is that it? You're even more guts than Ruby", I flipped open my claws, "But I see an problem between us. I was wrong in what I said last night. One of my concerns does involve you. Prepare yourself, Weiss Schnee! Today I shall have my revenge!"

I dashed forward and scissor sliced with my claws. Without hesitation, she back flipped, kicking my blades away. A glyph formed on the ground at her feet and she practically flew forward towards me. A glyph semblance. We parried twice before she backed off. She didn't rely on surprise like Ruby did. She was an upfront fighter, just like me. And she fought with a type of elegance that I had never seen before. It completely contrasted my primal fighting style. On the next attack, her sword glowed red and my attack was completely repelled from the blade. It was like a trampoline. The glow faded, leaving me to wonder just what the heck that was.

A yellow gear glyph formed at her feet and she dashed forward with blinding speeds. I tried to pull the same trick I did before, but she completely dodged my tail. Not only was she moving fast, she could see where she was going. I struggled to hold her back before the glyph's affect faded. I then snapped out my wings and zipped into the skies. I needed to come up with a plan. But before that could happen, Weiss had jumped up there to my height. I growled and zipped away again, and she responded by mid-air glyph jumping to me again! I dove back down and she followed. Only this time she got a little too close and I swiped at her left eye. I made a light scratch, but she screamed, backing away in shock.

I noticed that there was an old scar over that eye, and I must have opened it up again.

Like all Grimm, I could smell the aura coming off of her. I sensed pain in every sense. Perhaps it was from childhood. Whatever it was, it was somehow related to that scar.

"So you know pain", my Grimm muttered loud enough for her to hear, "Betrayal, broken heart. On the inside you and I are essentially the same." A tear dripped down her face as she stabbed her sword, now glowing in a multicolored fashion, into the ground.

"Bastard! Don't ever attack the little pride I have left!" the ground in front of her exploded as an underground glyph sent fragments of stone into the air in front of her. A black glyph caught it all then turned red as she rapid fired earthen shrapnel at me. I gritted my teeth as I realized my fatal mistake. She twirled her sword and I noticed how a part of the hilt twisted around to turn the blade into the same color as one of the many points on the dial. A ring of glyphs appeared around us and she bounced from glyph to glyph, attacking me as she went.

"We. Are not. The. Same!" she said in between slices, not giving me a second to recover. "Unlike you, I'm not a soulless monster!" she zipped past me, doubling her speed and landing a successful blow against my left shoulder. The last glyph turned black and she stuck to it. Her blade turned blue, shooting out a line of ice on the ground, freezing me from the waist down. Her blade glowed white and the glyph went red as she struck me before I could register it. My chest exploded in my own blood and the ice shattered, allowing me to fall to my knees. My Grimm receded leaving me there to bask in this pain. I couldn't do anything but curl my tail around myself as I collapsed in the fetal position, all Grimm features, save for the tail, fading away. I lost. Weiss knelt down beside me knowing full well that I wouldn't dare get back up again. Finally my mask had disappeared. Weiss gasped silently as she saw that I was in fact a human (at least she thought I was a human).

"I told you that I know pain. I was betrayed, just like you were. They turned me into this", I coughed up blood, and all went black, "We...are..the same."

(Nimbus)

It was Oblivion himself! I knew somehow that he was involved in the lab assault, but I never imagined that he was the Grimm who attacked the lab. That explained why he wore the mask. I dropped beside Weiss as she knelt down beside him.

"Why?" she asked to no one in particular, "What would drive one man to do all of this?"

"Ha ha! We've got them on the run! but they're sending in the big guys to cover", Nora said over the radio.

"Then we send in our heavy hitters!" I responded, "Yang, Nora, and Jaun, you guys get in there."

"But Nimbus, you said to save that for a later time!" Jaun said to me.

"Well this is different! Feel free to cut loose, Arc!"

"Jaun! It's too dangerous!" Pyrah objected.

"Let him go Pyrah. I originally wanted him to save this for when he went to spar with you again but desperate times call for desperate measures. Attention all response team! Stay out of Jaun's line of sight if you don't want to get flattened!"

"Did you train him in private?" Rin spoke up, obviously in a fight of his own, "I thought he had trouble accessing his aura."

"It's all in how you visualize it." As soon as I said that, a golden streak blasted through the wall of the building and into another. Weiss and I were blown away by the shock wave.

"What the hell?!" she complained.

"WOO-HOO-HOO! I taught him that!" I laughed in sheer joy.

"They're almost to their bullheads! Don't let them escape!" Blake commanded.

I heard a light chuckling behind me as Oblivion sat up, leaning on his elbow, "I got them." He coughed up a glob of blood before he pulled a detonator out of his jacket and pressed the button. _BOOM! _Four different explosions lit up the outside of the compound.

"You blew up the bullheads?" I turned to him.

"Like I was going to let those bastards get away for what they did to me. I hate them even more than the Schnee." Upon hearing this Weiss pinned him to the ground and slapped his cheek as hard as she could. Oblivion took it without even flinching.

"Tell me why!" she demanded, "What did we do to deserve this?!" a tail of a Deathstalker extended behind Weiss and hooked around her neck without hurting her.

"Are you really that oblivious to your father's dealings within the past few years? How many people, human and Faunus, died at Granite bark six years ago? Ask your father the true details and tell me why I really should take your life as recompense."

A squeak sounded off to his left as a little creature ran towards Oblivion. In response, Oblivion removed his tail and caught the creature on his shoulder.

"Grimm!" I said as I drew my bow and fired. Oblivion batted the shot away with the blunt side of one of his claws.

"Relax. He's harmless. This little slink has been my partner in crime ever since I was admitted to the lab. You did a good job out there Sly." The slink licked his cheek. Alright! I'll admit that no Grimm has ever looked that cute before. The roar of engines forced the slink to hide in Oblivion's jacket.

An Atlesian Militarty airship came in and dozens of drones dropped in to secure the White Fang.

"Alright, men we can take it from here. Excellent job!"

"Again with the flash entrance, James", Glenda Goodwitch said, "I'm collecting our groups and we're heading home."

A bullhead swooped in and landedright beside us and Oz stepped out to see us.

"Well, that was a rather surprising turn of events", he pushed up his glasses, "It's probably going to be a while before the Fang tries anything again." By now, most of the team had gone into the bullhead and were watching us.

"I have a vague idea that you were the monster from Maze's lab."

"I'm not denying it. I don't have anything else to hide", he retorted.

"I tapped into the radios and heard the whole conversation. I understand that you may feel like the victim in many ways, but that doesn't change the fact that you severely injured and almost killed dozens of people. However, there is no denying that your strength in combat is almost unparalleled", Oz helped him stand up and all of his Grimm features showed, "It would be such a waste to have someone like you locked away in prison."

"What are you insinuating old man?" Oblivion questioned.

"For starters, I'm not as old as I look. Two, I've been given the authority to let you choose your fate. Either you can spend years in prison in Atlas", then Oz gestured to the bullhead with his cane, "Or you can come to Beacon, and hone your abilities for a greater purpose. I don't think you'll get an offer like this from anyone else."

By now, everyone, was face faulting. I didn't want this guy at Beacon, specifically on **_my _**team. Oblivion was rather bewildered by this offer and stood still. Oz turned to go back to the bullhead when Oblivion responded. "Alright. I don't have anywhere else to go, so I might as well go."

"Then I wouldn't stand around there", Oz stepped into the Bullhead as it lifted off the ground, "You still have a bright future ahead of you, Oliver Eastman." Oblivion staggered upon hearing him. But he smiled as his mask dissolved, revealing a pair of eyes with bright red irises. He flipped out his wings, like a beetle, and flew up to the deck, where it all dissolved upon landing.

"So, now what?" Val asked as the door closed ant the ship took off, "Did we really just recruit a Grimm?"

"No, we have recruited a human. His powers may be Grimm based, but he is still human, and will be treated as such."

The newly named Oliver hesitated before he corrected him, "Sir, I'm not a human, I'm a half breed." A pair of pointy black antennae, sprang up from his hair which matched in color.

"Ooh! Let me see! Let me see!" Nora grabbed his antennae from behind and tackled him to the floor while he comically complained for her to stop. We all laughed.

"Case and point", Oz pointed out, "But in any case, Oliver's arrival marks a special day for three of you here." He motioned for my team and Oliver to step forward, facing him. He put his hands on the shoulders of me and Oliver, "This makes four, a full team. Nimbus Altos, Oliver Eastman, Valentine Vance, and Arcee Strauss. I am happy to welcome you fully to Beacon Academy. Together, you are now Team NOVA, led by Nimbus Altos! May your studies and exploits be used for the good of Vale and all of Remnant."

The other teams rushed forward to congratulate all of us. Oliver was probably not used to this sort of attention. We were all still very wary of him, and probobly would be for a little while.

But then I looked at myself. I was the team leader. True, we might be one of the most unusual teams that ever existed in the history of Huntsmen, but we might just be something great given time.

I just wish my father was around to see this.

(End of Chapter 8)

.

HEYOO! Beowulf is back!

I'm just glad that The situation didn't go as bad as I had thought. But don't go thinking that Oblivion...no, Oliver is going to be let off so easy. Ozpin and all of the staff at Beacon will be watching his every move, and Oliver knows it all too well. But I'm not questioning the Wizard of Oz's decision. He's a lot wiser than I'll ever know.

But I had the team name NOVA in my head ever since I decided to make 4 OC's instead of the original 2 (Nimbus and Oliver).

Back to Oliver, he most certainly not forgotten about what happened at Granite Bark six years ago, and I can guarantee that it will resurface whether any of us like it or not, but not in as violent a manner as before.

But on that happy note, it's time to go. I've got Exams this week and I'll be studying. So don't expect any new posts until after then.

But until then, this is Beowulf and the crew signing out!


	9. Chapter 9: If you take a Grimm to class

Chapter 9: When you take a Grimm to class

(Valentine)

I couldn't sleep last night, not with _him _in the same room as me. Oliver doesn't sleep, heck he doesn't even blink at night. Those eyes of his almost seem to glow in the dark. And we all knew that his powers had yet to be fully determined, and even now he was powerful enough to take out Schnee security and the White Fang at the same time.

Class started again the following morning, and he got dressed in his new uniform and arrived at Port's class just as the bell rang. He just sat there and listened attentively, without even a hint of emotion on his face and he didn't speak. And his aura...everyone but Port seemed to feel it. Not everyone knew his secret, but we all got the feeling that he was bad news. We all took a trip to the arena and port continued.

"Alright, now its time to put what you've learned to use. I'll need one volunteer." We all hated to go into the arena. Even Nimbus didn't like fighting the giant Grimm stored in the kennels. "Mr. Eastman", he called.

Oliver perked up, finally showing a brief flash of joy in his eyes. "Yes?"

"We haven't gotten the chance to witness your skills in battle. Would you care to show everyone how its done?"

"Gladly", he said grinning a little. A fuzzy black and white head popped out of his hood and squeaked to him. Everyone stepped back at the sight of the Grimm.

"Is that so?" he responded to its squeaking, "I'll be careful then. Ruby?" he called out to the red hooded girl who quietly and nervously stepped forward, "I trust you. Can you hold on to Sly for me? I don't want him getting hurt when I go in. I assure you that he's harmless. He doesn't even bite." No one spoke until Ruby nodded and Sly came out of his jacket sleeve, making himself comfortable in Ruby's hood. He peeked over her shoulder to watch the fight. He gingerly licked Ruby's cheek as he dropped into the arena.

_Did he just talk to a Grimm? _Oliver stood smack in the middle of the ring and he nodded to Port. On queue, the gates opened to reveal an Ursa Major. Oliver's eyes glittered, surprised that Port would go all out on the first round. This Ursa was at least twice as tall as him, but Oliver didn't flinch. In fact he casually walked towards the Grimm. The Grimm hesitated, wondering how his target could be so calm, but it eventually walked towards Oliver then going into an all out sprint.

"I don't get it", Arcee whispered to me and Nimbus, "I know he's got those powers, but he's not going to just reveal it to everyone. Why is he going in unarmed?"

The Ursa swiped at Oliver and he casually limbo ducked then back flipped a short distance back. "Slow", the Ursa charged and he stepped aside, "Sloppy", he stopped the next strike with a simple backhand to the Grimm's face. It staggered back and roared at him. "Not to mention clumsy."

"Stop messing around!" Yang yelled at him, "Fight him!"

"Don't rush perfection Hot Shot. Who says you have to go in guns blazing like you always do? I'm having fun at my own pace", he said. Yang practically exploded, flames engulfing her hair.

"Let me at that little punk! I'll roast you alive!" she raged at him and RWBY and NOVA had to forcefully stop her from jumping in the arena herself. That was very uncharacteristic of her. But hey, I do recall the two having a very hostile first encounter.

Oliver sighed, ducking under another strike, "You officially took the fun out of this match, Blondie. No choice but to finish now." With a flash of black, the Ursa's left arm was severed upon swinging. It was Oliver's claws, and he had taken them out and hidden them too fast for anyone to see what happened. He flickered right in front of the Grimm and scissor sliced at the its neck. The Grimm fell to the ground, first the head, then the body. Carefully, Oliver walked back and dragged the severed paw over to the Ursa's body and head and knelt beside it, whispering something. The Grim began to evaporate, but instead of disappearing, the particles drifted over to Oliver sinking into his skin until he had practically consumed the entire Grimm! And I swear I saw him lick his lips as he finished. He stood up to face the group.

"I hope that that little teddy bear wasn't the best you had in you kennels, Professor Port", he said to our mentor. Yang had stopped her rage and stumbled backwards at Oliver's show of power.

"Um..that will be all we'll require of you today. Thank you Mr. Eastman." Oliver nodded with satisfaction and tried to climb out of the arena, but he stumbled in an attempt to climb the steps. I quickly rushed over to him to help him up. I know he was freaky in many ways, but he was still my team mate.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I tried to help him up. But he would barely budge.

"I'm alright", he panted, "I just put on a few hundred pounds. It'll go away in an hour or so."

"How about I lighten you load?" I held his shoulder and activated my semblance, decreasing gravity's pull on both of us. He snapped upright in an instant as the sudden change in weight surprised him. But he still struggled a little under his weight.

"Okay, maybe half a ton", he admitted, then looked back to me with a blush and said, "T-t-thank you."

I helped him walk over to the wall where he could safely sit down while he healed up.

"How did you do that?" I asked him.

"Huh?"

"You know, when the Grimm dissolved." Nimbus and Arcee crowded around to listen.

He smiled, still pained, but still a smile, "It was exactly what it looked like. I absorbed the Grimm's remains. If what I read about my designs is correct, I evolve with each one I...consume. The only downside is that I'm left weighed down by the Grimm's own weight for an hour afterwards. So I can only afford to use that trick after a fight. I'll just need some time to rest."

We just stared at him, leading him to ask "Don't you guys think it's...weird?"

"Of course we think it's weird! Who wouldn't!" Nimbus pointed out, "But it was freaking awesome!"

Oliver perked up suddenly, "You mean it?"

"Well, yeah!" I picked up, "I mean you just broke the laws of nature and reversed the food chain!"

Ruby started giggling as Sly began crawling around licking her face, "Okay! That's enough! Stop it!" she said in between giggles, before she handed him back to Oliver.

"Sly, where in the name of Mother Grimm have your manners gone? I told you at least a dozen times how that isn't polite."

Sly squeaked in response and Oliver closed his eyes and smiled.

"I know what you mean man. I got a dose of that not long ago." He yawned and rested his head, "I'll be up once my stomach settles", he whispered, and for the first time since I knew him, he slept. A grin of satisfaction spread on his lips.

.

(Arcee)

It was lunch time again, on my first official day of class, and I sat down with team NOVA, minus Oliver who was still recovering.

"Say", Nimbus asked me, "aren't you a...robot? I didn't really think that robots needed to eat."

"Synthian", I corrected, "I have organs like any human, but they are made out of a material that is half organic and half mechanical. I do need to eat."

"Alright, whatever works." We ate in silence until I decided to get something off my mind.

"Doesn't anyone find it strange?" I asked.

"What?" Nimbus and Val said at once.

"I mean, you guys saw what Oliver was like as Oblivion; all the destruction he caused, all the people he hurt. Then all of a sudden he comes here and he's almost...friendly. I began to think, what if he really does have two personalities, one half breed, and one Grimm. Maybe his Grimm half appears whenever he becomes stressed, like before."

We got up to pick up our plates and we walked past Cardin's table. He was talking to some other teams about the latest addition to Beacon and stopped only when we walked past.

"Well look! It's traveling freak show", Cardin snickered.

"Shut up Winchester", Nimbus said walking past him, "We don't want to deal with your talk today."

"Says the huntsman who can't use Dust."

Nimbus stopped in his tracks, "Who told you that?"

"It's all over school. You couldn't hide it even if you tried. An now Oliver, he's the big kicker. That kid is too freaking weird. Someone with his powers doesn't belong here."

Nimbus snapped. He whirled around and approached Cardin with his right sword out.

"I'm getting really tired of your first year psyche school bull crap, Cardin! I could care less what our powers are so long as we can fight as a team!"

Valentine and I had to forcefully hold him back.

"Aw, you have to rely on your girls to save you from getting hurt.

"Let me go!" he growled, "Just one scar on his shoulder! He won't feel a thing!"

"Cardin! Nimbus!" a voice barked, making all of us freeze. Glenda Goodwitch stood right behind Carter with a clipboard in hand.

"I heard everything Mr. Winchester. If you have a problem with the student selection, feel free to take it up with Professor Ozpin. Otherwise, keep your insults to yourself. Do I make myself clear, Cardin?"

Cardin stood up straight and hesitated before he replied, "Crystal clear."

"And YOU, Mr. Altos!" she pointed her pen at me, "You know that you are not to draw your weapon at another student unless you are in the arena!" There was a long silence. "Cardin, you and your team please leave the cafeteria. Nimbus, you and your team come with me." She walked away and we all looked at each other.

"NOW!" her wand slapped the top of the table and we all darted out of the cafeteria. We stopped once we were out of sight of anyone.

But Mrs. Goodwitch smiled, "Sorry guys. I had to make it realistic." She spoke with two voices and her form flickered into none other than Oliver Eastman!

"You sorry son of a Grimm!" Valentine sighed with relief, "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

I walked forward. "You saved us! But why?"

"Why wouldn't I? You guys are my team. I can't just let you guys go through that sort of trouble." There was a pause before he continued, "Thank you, Nimbus."

He looked confused, "Me?"

"Yes. When Cardin started trash talking about me, you were the one to stand up and fight for me. It's just that no one has ever done that for me before."

"I'm still a little skeptical", I confessed.

"I didn't expect you to say otherwise", he sighed, "Look, I know that my actions over the past few days were dangerous, almost deadly. But I wasn't in the right frame of mind. I know you all thought I was a monster, don't deny it. But in truth...I even began to think I was a monster too, and it consumed me. But you guys helped me to realize that under this...shell, I'm still a half breed all the same."

"Look, we're glad to hear that", I spoke up, "But how do we know that you're really with us though?"

Oliver walked a few steps away and looked at us over his shoulder, "Do you know why the Grimm were so successful, why they are so widespread now?" the question surprised us, "While it is true that they have an insatiable desire to kill humans and Faunus alike, there is one good trait that the Grimm have always had. Grimm will always fight to protect one another. No matter what, they will never leave a fellow Grimm behind. They will stick together in sickness, health, and in injury and they will even sacrifice themselves to save their comrades. All Grimm must follow this 'code'", turning back to us he asked us, "Tell me, do you see this trait in all Faunus and all humans?"

He had us there. If there was one thing that the humans and Faunus lacked, it was the race-wide will to protect each other. There would always be one person who offered resistance.

"Fighting against your comrades will lead to a tragic downfall, one way or another. I know that I haven't exactly followed this myself over the past few days. I guess it's just a matter of finding out who your allies are. And right now...I just don't have anyone else to turn to. That's why I want to start out on a clean slate. No hard feelings?"

We were all taken aback by what he had to say. And Valentine stepped forward and put her hand in the middle of the circle. Nimbus followed suit, as did I.

Oliver smiled as his antennae sprang up from beneath his hair and he put his hand in the middle, "Thanks guys."

"You know what?" Nimbus said, "How about a NOVA on three? One! Two! Three!"

But before any of us could cheer, a golden blur tackled Oliver and they rolled into the woods.

"NOVA!" Oliver cheered, "It's alright guys! I got it!"

"Do you think we should help him?" Nimbus asked anyway.

"Nah", I replied, "If Oliver says he's got it, he's got it. We have to trust him."

.

(Oliver)

I love using that Impostor semblance, especially when you use it against bullies like Cardin.

I know that my attitude may have changed suddenly, but that was the anger of a Grimm that was in me. Right? So maybe my time at Beacon could be fun.

But the situation I was in now, was certainly not fun.

I rolled down the hill and landed on my feet as my favorite blonde landed in front of me.

"Not cool Yang. My team and I were having a moment!"

"You didn't think I was going to let you off the hook after you trash talked me in the ring? I'm just here to give you a piece of my mind!" her hair began to glow.

"Aren't you worried in the slightest after what I did to that Grimm?" I asked.

"Why should I? Like a little danger ever scared me. I live for danger! I **_BURN _**for danger! And now it's time to get fired up!", she roared as she smashed her gauntlets together and the area around her exploded in flame. The flames suddenly converged around her and exploded in a continuous pillar of raw power!

"That's more like it", I hissed, "I love doing this!" The air around me was suddenly filled with Grimm matter and turned into a black pillar of the same nature. I felt like a Super Saiyan!

Our powers died down and we met in a clash of metal. I opened up with a blender strike (360* spin with 3 separate strikes), followed immediately by an uppercut. Yang managed to block each of them and countered with two shots. We got in close and locked arms, struggling to hold ground.

"Your fighting style and aura are remarkable!" I grunted.

"You won't be saying that in a moment!" she said as she broke our lock and I tried to swipe low. but she anticipated that, stepping on the blade, jumping and proceeded into a flying kick to my face. She didn't miss. I was sent tumbling end over end for at least thirty feet before my claws slowed me down. But Yang was right there again and I was nailed in the face by an explosive right hook, slamming me into the trunk of a live oak. She pinned me down. She almost fired one last shot, but I stopped her.

"Duck!" I yelped as a nevermore feather shot down from the sky and impaled the tree right where Yang was a moment ago. dozens of roars and growls followed.

"Back to back!" Yang snapped out of her rage. I whipped out my tail so as to grab hold of Yang and bring her back to back with me.

"What's going on?!" I asked as we were surrounded by four Boarbatusks, five Ursas, eight Beowolves, and a Giant Nevermore.

"It was that little show off session. Those bursts of aura called in every Grimm within a square mile of here!" Yang said as she checked her weapons.

"Do you have a plan?" I said, then snarled at a Boarbatustk that tried to get too close.

"Alright, the Heavy hitters are the Ursas and the Boarbatusks. My recoil semblance should take any blunt damage. You're faster, so you can dodge the Beowolves. And..." she trailed off.

"What?" I said until I caught the size of that Nevermore.

"That thing has to be at least twice as big as the one from Emerald Forest!" Yang said, "Don't even bother fighting that one. We need to take out the others and haul butt out of here!"

"I have a better idea. I'll clear out the Boarbatusks, while you get the others. After I'm done there I'll distract the Nevermore", I said.

"You're insane! That thing will eat you alive!"

I rushed forward and took out two Boarbatusks, "I was insane enough to accept the offer to go to Beacon."

"True." we darted off to our targets. I was rather surprised to learn that Boarbatusks can go into rolling attacks. A quick uppercut and a cross strike were enough to bring down my Grimm. But I left one wounded. I needed to save that one for after this match.

I stabbed a Beowolf in the back with my tail and yelled, "Yang! I'm going up!" My wings sprang out and I took to the skies. This nevermore was the size of a jumbo jet and it's mask was marked by a ragged red scar over its missing left eye. It must have been centuries old! I landed on the back of its neck and dragged my blades down its back. Blood spewed out but the beast refused to go down.

I began to desperately swipe at the beast but it was no use. This was the one Grimm that I was not prepared to beat. It was just too big! The Nevermore barrel rolled, flinging me off its back and into the abyss below.

"Oliver! I'm done! Let's get out of here!" Yang called.

I flew down and picked up the unconscious Boarbatusk, and walked over to an empty cave that Sly had scouted out for me. But yang started to run the other way.

"Yang stop!" I yelled, "You'll never make it!" But it was too late. The nevermore had spotted Yang from the sky and fired off a round of feather spears. Yang tried to dodge, but was stabbed through her right hip. She screamed and fell to the ground as I watched on in horror.

"NO!" I screamed. I flew back to got her back into the cave, out of the Nevermore's line of sight.

"What in the name of the Mother Grimm were you thinking?!" I scolded her, "Now we're trapped in here until that thing goes away!"

"That doesn't matter now. Why did you save me?" she raised her voice.

My eyes glowed red and I yelled at her in anger, "BECAUSE I AM NOT ONE OF THEM!" I gestured outside. At that moment the Nevermore's beak poked through the entrance and nearly reached us.

"Hold on! I got you!" I said as I picked her up in a bridal carry and brought her a hundred feet deeper into the cave where there was a natural spring. Sly chirped, confirming that this cave was uninhabited by Grimm.

The feather spear was still in Yang's right hip. Pulling it out on the spot would have ensured our deaths. That's why we were postponed in the removal.

"Alright,hold still", I gently laid Yang down on my coat, so she rested on her left side, "I'm going to try and remove the feather. Okay? Whatever you do, don't look down." She nodded telling me to go.

I pulled it out an inch and she screamed in pain, "Stop it! Stop it! It hurts!" she began to curl up a little.

I sighed, "I'm afraid that we have no other choice. At least the stem of the feather is smooth. It should come off easy." I walked over to the spring and covered the remaining spear in a handful of water, to make it slippery.

"Now, I'm going to try and remove it again. This time I want you to pinch the side of your neck as hard as you can. Your body will be so focused on the sting there that you shouldn't realize when I try to remove the feather. Tell me when you're ready."

"Alright, you can go."

I didn't start right away this time. Instead I waited five seconds before I removed part of the feather. But she yelped, forcing me to stop again.

"Cant' we just wait for a minute?" she tried to catch her breath.

"Alright, I'll try again in two minutes." Yang relaxed. But I wasn't going to give her that much time. I was left with one more option but I did not want to do it. I would have to wait till later.

"So how long do you think we'll be stuck down here? Oliver? EEEEK!" she screamed, not in pain, but rather surprise. I really don't want to say it but...while she wasn't paying attention, I sneaked up on her, grabbed her right breast, and gave it a good squeeze.

"Let go of me, you little pervert!" she yelled, but her body trembled, unable to fight back.

"And done!" I let her go and walked into her view with the bloodied feather spear in hand. Yang was left speechless for a moment as she tried to touch the place where it was before.

"How did you do that?! I didn't feel anything!" Yang said as her shock faded.

"I just had to scare you", I replied, "When I...did that, you were so shocked and surprised that you completely forgot about the over-sized splinter in your hip. So I was able to slip it out without causing you any pain. My late cousin told me that when she was in boot camp, the medic used the same method to remove a bullet from her thigh. You were just...naturally better suited for that method. Please don't take it the wrong way." I blushed and looked away nervously. There was a squeak beside me and I saw Sly carrying in what looked like his third trip of sticks and firewood.

"Sly! You ingenious little rodent, you!" I scratched him behind the ear, just the way he likes it, "Yang, it might get dark soon and I doubt we'll fare much better if we make our way back now. We'll have to stay here for tonight. You you have any Dust? Burn, perhaps?"

She reached into her bag, strapped to her belt and pulled out a Red Dust crystal the size of a small water bottle, "Yeah. Weiss always has us carry at least one around with us. But what use is it here?" she tossed it to me.

"Do you remember how Dust reacts to a person's semblance? Like whenever Blake makes a hologram of herself, she can make it into a different element, depending on the crystals she uses. The same applies to my impostor semblance. Watch." I performed a partial change, only this time, my right hand caught on fire. So I grabbed the wood with my bare hand for a moment, let it into the fire pit, and deactivated my semblance. Now the wood was on fire. I tossed the crystal back to Yang.

"I can only hold that for about ten seconds at a time, but I'm trying to improve it." I said as I walked back to the entrance of the cave and officially killed that Boarbatusk. I quickly dragged its body over to the fire and consumed its remains as it evaporated. An instant later I was hit by the Grimm's weight, not near as bad as before, but I still struggled to hold myself up.

"I don't get it", Yang said, "Why do you do that?"

"Well," I started, "It's just who I am. Marcus said to his coworkers before I left that I was meant to be an Anti-Grimm. And since the Grimm are changing all the time, I have to keep up by evolving on my own. I have to use the remains of a Grimm of course. It's like a second semblance", I paused before I crawled over to Yang and sat up beside her, "Yang, I do have a way that I can close up that wound of yours right here and now, but there will be permanent side effects."

"What is it?"

I took a deep breath before I told her, "While I'm in this state, I haven't exactly...consumed the Grimm yet. I still have its Grimm matter inside, and for the next hour, its mine to control. Using Grimm matter, I can use it to repair or replace damaged tissue, either on myself or another person. I can apply some to your wound and I can have you fully healed in just a few moments."

"So you plan to use Grimm parts to repair me?" Yang said in slight disgust.

"Well...yes. Don't get the wrong idea though, it will function as your own muscle and will adapt to your genetic code. Once the application is done, you will have a full range of motion like nothing ever happened."

"You said that there was a downside, a permanent side effect", Yang reminded me.

"Well, it's more of an aesthetic side effect", I clarified, "Using this technique will leave a permanent dark purple mark over the wound, like a tattoo." I pulled up my sleeve to reveal a mark left when I tried to heal myself. That was before I realized that my wounds could heal automatically without leaving a trace.

"Oh, I was worried it'd be something worse. A tattoo I can handle. Alright, you have my permission." I smiled in reply and slowly extended one of my claws.

"Alright, squeeze my wrist as hard as you can. This is going to sting for a moment." She did and I yelped as she almost broke my wrist, "On second thought, squeeze you gauntlet."

I extended my claw and carefully traced the wound. The tip emitted a small streamer of black smoke as dark purple Grimm matter formed over the wound. Yang, winced, enduring the sting until I finished the wound on her back. Now I had to finish the exit wound,at the front.

"You okay?" I asked her, and she nodded without a word. So I continued, and soon the exit wound was sealed, "Alright, I have one last application to make: internal injuries. This one will sting a little more, so tell me when you're ready." In response she threw her arms around me and held me tight.

"Ready", she said, a little more confidently. I placed my hand on her right hip. But I got distracted by that sudden touch of skin and I gently stroked her hip. Yang _really _had some amazing curves.

"What are you doing? You're supposed to be healing me." She snapped me out of my daydream.

"Oh! Sorry! It's just that...never mind. Here I go." I began the final application and Yang squeezed me tight, almost enough to make me lose my focus. But I completed the process in due time and let out a heavy sigh of relief. "Okay, now you can look down."

I helped Yang stand up, but I actually felt a little bit lighter. Finally she looked down at her hip and went wide two wounds were a pair of golf ball sized holes colored dark purple, and were connected by a line of said color just thicker than a number two pencil. Smack in the middle of it, Outlined by that obsidian color, was a golden flame, Yang's emblem.

"I thought it would be more rugged than that", she said tracing her hand over the marking.

"That was something of a personal touch", I confessed, scratching the back of my head, "I figured that if you're going to be marked there, it might as well look good. Just a little extra Grimm Matter along with...a little something else." I stopped and grabbed my tail as I felt the burning from the very tip. Yang's expression softened when she put the pieces together.

"You used a part of your own tail? Why? Why do that for me?" she asked.

"Look, I can just use another Deathstalker to heal fully. But that's what I made your emblem out of, a piece of my own Grimm Matter."

I heard a scratching at the front of the cave as the Nevermore tried to stick its head in.

"I'll be right back", I growled as I walked back to the front of the cave. "BUZZ OFF!" I stung it with my tail, forcing the giant to back away.

"Stupid overgrown chicken", I muttered to myself walking back to Yang.

"You should get some sleep", Yang said keeping very close to the fire, "I'll take the first watch."

"No need. Sly has it under control. If any Grimm comes close to the cave he can drive it away", I assured her.

"Great, Now I have to place my life in the paws of yet another Grimm", Yang muttered.

"Yang you have to trust me this time! Grimm thrive in the dark. Even with my Faunus half I could barely see them."

"Yeah, but I still don't trust you. Not after what you almost did to my sister", she growled at me, her eyes flickering red for just a moment.

"So you want to play that game? I don't entirely trust you because you have proven to be a loose cannon on three occasions thus far. I don't want you to go out and get yourself killed like you almost did before. In fact, I'm not even giving you the chance." Upon saying that, I dashed over and tackled her, we rolled over ten feet, and by that point, both of us were wrapped up nice and snug by my Deathstalker tail. It wasn't too tight, but I made sure that she wouldn't be able to move.

"You jerk! What was that for?!" she yelled at me.

"I'm making sure that you don't leave in the middle of the night. Like I said, I don't trust you. Besides, you owe me for saving your life. And I haven't forgotten when you attacked me out of the blue twice." I began to wrap my arms around Yang's hips, gently caressing her curves, "I...just don't want the effort I put into saving you to go to waste. If you stay here tonight, I promise that we'll get out of here alive. In the meantime, I'd like to cash in on that debt you owe me." With that said, I smiled to her before leaning in and giving her a light kiss on the lips.

At first Yang went wide eyed with shock and her breathing halted for a moment. But as I held us together for a little longer, her expression changed to shy but blissful. But I pulled away after a few seconds. I never accounted for just deliciously perfect her lips would be. They were extremely soft and were perfectly warm.

And it left me wanting more. But Yang beat me to the punch.

"Just a little more", she whispered while breathing heavy She moved one of my hands down from her hips and just on the small of her back, and the other one to the side of her left breast, nodding lightly. I lightly squeezed, now feeling her heartbeat. "A little more", she said as she hungrily cupped my lips with hers, tilting her head as much as possible.

That shyness she showed before was gone and was now replaced by hunger. For me no less. She immediately explored with her tongue and I eventually found myself doing the same. Her arms wrapped around me and she even undulated with each movement we made in the kiss.

So this was the real Yang that I've heard about. Sweet, outgoing, joyful, and above all, passionate.

I wouldn't mind staying here for a little while longer.

(End of Chapter 9)

.

Beowulf is back!

Well, Oliver has officially left me at a loss for words in so many ways. It makes me wish I was in his position right now.

Now as I said before, I won't get the chance to do much writing over the next couple of days, so I made this chapter extra long for you guys.

By the way, once I can come back to writing, I'm considering creating another story for Fairy Tail. If you think this is a good idea, please give me some feedback via PM.

Back to _Wings of Remnant, _I'm looking for someone to make a cover for this story. The OC's are counting on the talented artists who may be reading.

And as always, please review, follow, favorite, and above all, tell your fellow RWBY fans! Only if you want to of course.

And above all, thank you all for reading and for making _Wings of Remnant _my most successful story yet! I couldn't have done it without you!

Until next time!


	10. Chapter 10: The Legend I Hunted

Chapter 10: The Legend I Hunted

(Valentine)

I couldn't sleep last night. Again. But it wasn't because Oliver was here. It's because he wasn't there. He didn't show up at all last night. He wouldn't even answer his radio. We begged Ozpin to let us go and look for him, but he reminded us that if we went out there at night, we'd be found by the Grimm in a matter of minutes.

It wasn't until morning that we realized that Yang from team RWBY was gone as well. So we st down at breakfast and talked it over.

"Maybe they didn't make it", Nimbus worried.

"Hey, It's Oliver and Yang we're talking about", Arcee said, "If anyone has even a chance of surviving at night, it's them."

"No one ever said that they'd help each other", I pointed out, "The last we saw of the two was when Yang sucker-punched Oliver. They might have fought each other to exhaustion. Really I don't want to admit it but it is very possible that their apparent rivalry led to some disastrous results."

"Look I know it was after curfew, but why wouldn't they let us go out and at least take a look?" Arcee questioned.

"That's only because they realized that Grimm Boy is a lost cause", Cardin said walking past our table, "Like I said, someone of his kind doesn't belong here. And I don't care if Ozpin allowed it, that freak carries a Grimm around as a pet!"

Nimbus pounded the table with his fist and got up, "All right, that's it!"

"Nimbus! Don't do it!" I tried to stop our leader but he approached Cardin.

"Finally, you're not holding back", Cardin prepared to fight, but Nimbus just kept walking until Cardin threw a punch. Nimbus casually dodged it.

"Step aside", he growled quietly as the off-balance Cardin was shoved aside by an open palm. Nimbus just walked past him to the door.

"That's it? That's all you're gonna do?" Cardin mocked.

"I'm not going to waste my time with you. You're not even worth fighting. And I'm going to have a word with Ozpin, mind you", he let those words sink in. But I beat him to the stairwell to the clock tower.

"I'll talk to him. You're a little on edge as it is." I used my semblance to jump all the way to the top of the spiral steps to the top. But Miss Goodwitch stopped me at the door.

"Miss Vance, Professor Ozpin isn't..." she trailed off as I walked past her.

The doors were locked, but I pulled out Merlin, slashed down the crack between them and broke the lock.

"Professor!" I barked after I flung open the doors. I saw that Ozpin was in fact in the middle of a meeting with a man with black hair with a streak of grey.

"Ah, Princess Valentine Vance. I heard that you were here", the man said. I recognized him as Commander James Ironwood of the Atlesian military.

"Valentine, now is not an appropriate time. We're discussing urgent matters right now", Ozpin said.

"I'll tell you what's an urgent matter!" I said sternly, "Why have we been denied permission to search for Oliver and Yang?"

"I cannot disclose that now, it's too dangerous."

"And I will not tolerate my friends being lost out there if such is truly the case!" snapped.

Ozpin stood up abruptly startling me, "Valentine, do you think I want that to happen? Do you think we have a choice right now?" he raised his voice a little, "If the situation were any different I would have sent you out last night to search for them. But the situation may be far more dangerous than we are prepared to face."

"Then tell me why!" I snapped back, "Ozpin, if the situation out there is _that _dire, then it might pose a threat to Mistral! And as such I speak to you not as your student, but as the heir the Mistralian throne! Tell me what's wrong! Why was nothing done?!"

After a short pause, Ironwood spoke up, "I think it would be best to tell her. I mean, you called _me_ here from Atlas. If a member of Mistral's royal family is here, even Valentine, they deserve to know."

"And not just her", the doors swung open to reveal the rest of teams NOVA, RWBY, and JNPR, led by Arcee, "We're all getting tired of being held here without an explanation. Either you can tell us why we can't, or we're taking action."

Ozpin sighed, now clearly left with no choice but to come clean, "I'm sure that you all know of Atlesian military presence in Vale. But starting yesterday afternoon, the patrol drones have been disappeared over a place a few miles into the emerald forest, then an entire UAV strike ship disappeared at high altitudes. Finally we sent in a mid-sized manned battleship, they vanished without a trace! At the present time, the cause is still unknown, but we've successfully determined that Yang and Oliver disappeared into that same area. You see, we can't just go blindly into this, and possibly make the situation worse. We plan on making our move the moment that we can get an unmanned visual, or at least some idea of what we're up against. We can't afford the possibility of losing anyone else."

As soon as he said that, there was a scratch on the glass behind him and one of the windows of the clock tower office opened. A tiny black and white creature scurried out, heading for the desk.

"Grimm! Everybody back!" Ironwood barked to us as he took out his gun and took aim. But I used Merlin to blast it out of his hands.

"Stop! That's Sly, Oliver's pet slink!" I said picking the creature up.

"You allow one of your students to shelter a Grimm?!" Ironwood turned to Ozpin.

"Oliver is quite a peculiar boy, to say the least. They both grew up in Maze's laboratory and they both appeared to be very attached to each other. I'm pretty sure that Sly might be genetically modified. But he has proven before to be an intelligent little fellow", Ozpin explained.

Sly then leaped out of my hands and onto the desk where he found the radio transmitter. He climbed on top, sniffed the air, and turned the antenna forty-five degree's to the right using his nose. He reached down and clawed at the dial to change the frequency. He found one that had the least static, sniffed the air again, then tapped the antenna two degrees to the left. A voice could be heard, becoming clearer as Sly fixed the frequency.

"This is Oliver and Yang, calling Beacon Academy. Do you read, Beacon?" It was Oliver! They survived!

"Oliver! Thank dust you're still alive!" I rushed over and responded.

"Alright!" he cheered, "Good boy, Sly! I'm going to get you your choice of a treat once we can get out of this place."

"Oliver, this is Ozpin. What happened?"

"Yang and I were sparring out here and we were ambushed by a hoard of Grimm. Yang was wounded in battle, so we had to take shelter in a cave. She's fully healed now", Oliver reported.

"Mr. Oliver, this is Ironwood, from the Atlesian military. Yesterday we suddenly lost several scout drones in your airspace. Right now, you're our eyes on the inside. Did you see anything that could have done it?"

"Yep, in fact that's why Yang was injured in the first place, and why we're still holed up in this cave. Yang was shot by a giant Nevermore, unlike anything I've ever seen! It has to be eight stories tall at least! And it's been waiting outside the cave ever since we hid in here!"

Nimbus' head turned to the radio with a concerned look and rushed in to take control, "Nimbus here. Oliver, what exactly does this one look like? Any distinguishing features?"

"Yeah. There are missing patches of feathers on its chest because of some nasty looking scars, and its wings have some dangerous looking claws on the last joint. Finally, its mask is missing a decent chunk on the left side, and there's a scar on the same side where its left eye should have been."

Nimbus' eyes widened and the blood drained from his face. Then he went stern and said, "Oliver, be prepared to get your butts back to Beacon on my mark. I'm on my way." He gripped his gauntlets tight and went for the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?!" I said.

"Where else? I'm going to fight it", he replied bluntly.

"Let's go then!" Arcee rushed forward but Nimbus whipped out one of his blades and pointed it at her.

"No. There is no _'we'_ this time. I must fight alone", he growled.

"Don't be stupid!" I told him, "Going at it alone is suicide! You don't know what you're up against!"

"If I don't fight this thing on my own, then I will have failed!" he snapped.

His face darkened, "I have a personal vendetta against this Grimm. " I saw a flash from within his coat. He grabbed the side and flipped it at us like a matador's cape and a gale force wind blew all of us backwards, except for Ozpin who had ducked behind his desk.

I tried to get out from under the dog pile, but by the time I stood up, Nimbus was at the treeline, speeding outside the boundaries of Beacon. A gale of starry feathers blew behind him.

"Hurry!" Ruby sped ahead, "We have to stop him!"

.

(Nimbus)

I hated to do that to my friends back there, but I had to do this alone. The moment I heard Oliver's description of the Grimm I knew that it was the one I had searched for. Insomnia, the Grimm who slayed my childhood hero, Boreas. And now, the monster finally showed itself, after disappearing for thirteen years.

I had made a vow that I would be the one to kill the Nevermore and finish the fight that Boreas started years ago. I might not ever get another chance to fight it.

Then I looked at Pluto. In all truth and honesty, the weapon wasn't entirely mine. It was made using some of the original parts of Boreas' own bow, Apollo. He passed down the broken weapon to me and I re-used the parts to build an even stronger weapon. He had faith in me, that's why he gave my his bow.

That's why I knew I could win.

I put on my Grimm mask, as I always dreamed of doing if this day ever came.

Finally I reached the cliff side that Oliver described. That bird was close. I took in a deep breath and used my Halcyon mock voice to let out an authentic nevermore screech, but slightly higher pitched. A much deeper screech responded.

A set of claws the size of a truck reached up from the cliff and almost skewered me. And at last, Insomnia showed himself. This thing was a lot bigger than I thought it would be. It looked me over an then narrowed its one right eye at the sight of Pluto. He recognized it as the former weapon of his late rival.

I dashed forward and Insomnia swiped with one wing to fire a round of feather spears. I snapped out my wings and dodged with ease. I pulled one out of the ground and threw it forward like a javelin, immediately followed by a second. They embedded themselves in its chest, but it used its claws to pull them out, and I saw that they weren't bloodied. It didn't even touch his skin beneath those feathers.

He then took both feathers, one in each hand, and stabbed them into the ground. He then slammed them both to the side. The feathers pried up a large portion of the ground, like an over-sized crowbar. Insomnia then picked his end up and heaved it forward, a wall of rock was now flying at me.

This thing wasn't just strong, it was intelligent.

I sliced through the flying rubble, but failed to notice that Insomnia was speeding along right behind it all! His mask slammed into me in a massive head-butt that sent me tumbling backwards. While I rolled, Pluto changed back into bow form and I fired at his heart. He used his beak to slap away the shot.

He crouched low, folding up his outer fold of his wing. Suddenly, a feather the size of his forearm sprang from his wrist and he slashed forward. I met it with my own blades. _BOOM! _They made contact. He was holding out! But I realized that this feather was evolved to be a blade, like a giant sword. Sparks flew from my swords as they tried to cut through unsuccessfully, even when my aura powered up the cutting abilities to such an extent. Insomnia pulled back and swung at me in full strength, launching me backwards. I back flipped twice to slow down and I snapped open my wings once I flew over the cliff. I jetted upwards.

I noticed that as I fought him, Insomnia was actually growing smarter in our fight. He must have remembered how Boreas fought, and deduced that I would use a very similar fighting style. He was right. But I had one trick that Boreas couldn't do. I would need to hold him off for one minute longer.

Insomnia came after me, firing feathers at me from time to time before I went up into the low hanging mist above one of the mountain peaks. He was close behind.

Once we reached the center, I turned right on a dime, spiraled around him with my blades, and disappeared. I saw his blood on my blades; a direct hit!

I charged up my feathers and flapped at him. My Stardust flight feathers sent off crescent shaped arcs of energy hurtling towards the Grimm, hitting him from behind. He screeched in pain and anger as I kept firing at him for this direction and that. A bright red light flashed in the fog, giving off Insomnia's silhouette. He roared, and a beam of energy blasted out of his mouth and he swept it to the right narrowly missing my feet.

"Whoa! I did _not _see that one coming!", I reeled. Twenty seconds left.

A loud voice rang out, "Show yourself, hero!" He spoke. This Grimm was smart enough to learn human and faunus language!

Time was up!

I flew beneath him and fired one last round of Crescent Lights. He roared and opened his mouth to fire once more.

I was beginning to doubt myself. But I reminded myself of who fought beside me in spirit: Boreas. I had to end it now!

"Die running!" Insomnia screeched before I pulled back on my bow for the last time. An arrow formed, now flickering with color brighter and more energetic than ever before. The arrow rocketed away with a loud chirping noise that echoed off the mountains. A colorful flash filled the sky as Insomnia was hit far above me, screaming. Another bright red explosion flashed as Insomnia lost control of his energy beam charge-up and the ball exploded in his face.

No one could have survived them both.

I slowly drifted back to the ground, alone. It was finally over, but I couldn't do it alone, as I said I would. Boreas was there in spirit. Is he hadn't left me with his bow I could never have come so far.

I walked away hiding my wings. Then I heard a faint whistling sound in the air. I ignored it until it began to turn into a screech, growing higher in pitch my the second. I looked around frantically to see where it was coming from. Then I looked up.

It was Insomnia! He was still alive! More than that, he was angry! He was diving at me with his wings tucked like a falcon before exiting his dive, coming at me with blinding speeds. His feather blades extended, one on each arm, and he went into a rapid spin before he sliced at me with both at once. as full force. I met him with my blades with only a second to react and he hit me with full force. The impact jarred me, but I kept my footing.

"Your hatred is strong, as are you", the Grimm hissed at me, "Hatred, sorrow, fear, anger, it all only makes me stronger!"

_I have to win. I have to! _I focused all of my aura into Pluto. I made him stronger, I made him sharper, I made him a part of me.

"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUGGGGH!" I howled in determination. Insomnia reared back his head, then struck the back of his blades with the hard of his mask to give him one last burst of strength. I was sent flying back. Then I heard something dreadful that slowed time and made all else in the world go absolutely silent.

With a loud _CRACK-SHING _that echoed throughout the mountains and forever echoes in my mind, Pluto shattered.

I slammed into the rock wall and my Stardust flight feathers shattered, embedding shrapnel into my back. One single large piece pierced through me just bellow the rib cage, pinning me there in place. I screamed in agony as the pain hit me. But it was the mental and emotional pain that hurt even more than that spike.

I had lost Boreas' weapon and the Stardust crystals a had been destroyed with the gauntlets and blades themselves. I failed to kill Insomnia. My childhood dream, shattered.

But most of all. I had failed Boreas; I had failed my own father.

"I'm sorry...Dad."

.

(Oliver)

I understand that Yang and I were in mortal danger that night. I never imagined that something as pleasant as this could ever come out of it.

Yet, there we were last night, luxuriating in the embrace of each other for hours on end (teetering in between first and second base, mind you). And when we finally decided to go to sleep in the coils of my tail, Yang had generously allowed me to use her as a pillow. The next morning, I had woken up to the pleasant sensation of Yang's luscious lips and tongue passionately exploring my mouth. Wonderful way to start the morning.

After that last exchange we contacted Beacon using the radios, and waited for Nimbus' mark.

"Before anything else," Yang spoke, "If you ever tell a living soul about what happened last night, I'll roast you alive. And this doesn't mean that I'll let you do that to me again."

"Don't worry. I'm completely satisfied in terms of the debt. You don't have to do it again", then I raised an eyebrow, "Unless of course you can't help yourself and ask for more."

"That's highly unlikely", Yang looked away from me with crossed arms, "Yes, I'll admit that I enjoyed it very much, but you only got so far because you caught me in a moment when I was weak." We began to walk to the cave entrance.

"I'm not going to force you into anything again. All I'm saying is that you were very...lovely last night and I might actually like to do it again someday."

A red light flashed in the clouds, and that giant nevermore dove down in a rage with two giant feather blades on its hands. Upon reaching the ground, it sliced and its blades were held off by a burning light. It was Nimbus! His swords were locked with the Grimm!

"He's gonna do it! He can make it!" Yang cheered.

I could hear my team leader roaring in absolute rage, like this Grimm had robbed him of everything. A blizzard of starlit feathers was flying off his coat as he put every last ounce of his power into trying to advance. He genuinely looked like he was going to make it. But I saw a bright white flash and a loud _CRAK-SHING _as his blades both shattered with an explosion strong enough to send him flying back into the wall behind him and he was skewered by a strange starlit stone.

"NIMBUS!" I screamed and activated a power that I absorbed from that boarbatusk yesterday. I curled up into a ball using my tail and peeled out as I rolled up the mountain, somehow able to see where I was going. I reached the scene and ran right into one of the nevermore's feather blades as I extended my own claws in my spin. My Grimm hunger began to boil. That nevermore went wide eyed as it began to lose its hold.

"You again!" he screeched (HE SPOKE!), "How did you become so strong?! You're just a measly half breed!"

"I prefer the term velocion tri-breed!" I said as I exploded from my ball and threw back the giant's blades. He threw a set of feathers at me, but I caught one in mid flight and absorbed its Grimm matter. I had now absorbed its feather bullet ability.

"I see", it narrowed its eye at me, "You must be a test subject of that wretched Marcus Maze!"

I licked my lips in anticipation, "I've never even heard of such a creature of your kind before. I don't care what it takes, I will consume your remains and take your power! I'm going to enjoy this!" I thrust my fist towards him and fired off feather bullets in a machine gun fashion. "It's high time I got some form of ranged weapon", I said to myself.

"You...stay out of this!" Nimbus said. He was still alive! "That thing is my prey! It killed my father! I have to be the one to kill Insomnia!" He sounded desperate.

"Assuming you live long enough, I'll let you have the killing blow", I growled, "But after that, I'm absorbing whatever's left of your 'Insomnia'."

All of a sudden two forms rocketed down from the clouds and slammed into the back of Insomnia's neck. It was Arcee and Nora, and the force of their blows sent Insomnia to the ground hard. While he was down he quickly charged up a beam of energy and blasted Nimbus. At least he would have if Jaun hadn't been there with his guarding semblance.

"Come on Nimbus! Don't you dare die on us!" he said to my leader. One by one the members of teams JNPR, RWBY and NOVA arrived to confront this monster of a Grimm, weapons primed and at the ready.

Insomnia stood up shaking from the impact of that last attack. He screeched at all of us in anger, then dove off the side of the cliff and took to the clouds to nurse his wounds and fight another day; a smart move on his part.

"Yang! You're alive!" Ruby embraced her sister. But then we all looked to nimbus and everyone gasped.

Nimbus groaned as he lifted himself away from the wall and removed the giant crystal "blade" from his chest. He cursed at that Grimm and he began to collect the pieces of that shattered crystal.

"Stardust", Valentine muttered as she helped him, pick them all up into a small tie up bag. He was reluctant, but he allowed her to help him.

"Thank you", he whispered to her as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. But he fell to his hands and knees in pain. We all tried to help him, but he motioned for us to stop, getting up on his own. One by one he began to seek out the pieces of his broken blades. Pyrah helped him collect the rest with her polarity semblance and he knelt with the shattered pieces in his hands.

He just sat there in silence and slowly, he began to weep, whispering, "I'm sorry Boreas. I'm so sorry." Tears flowed down his cheeks and his blood to the ground as it began to rain, Weiss kept us all dry under one of her glyphs.

Then when he had cried his tears dry, he growled, trudged over to the cliff face and howled, "I will make you pay for this you monster! I won't die until I make you suffer like you've never known!" With that last word he crumpled over and coughed up a massive amount of blood, and he began to wheeze. Jaun rushed over and placed his hand over Nimbus' wound. His semblance slowly made it close.

"That should stop the bleeding, but It's the most I can manage right now", he told us. Blake took Nimbus, now unconscious, in her arms.

"I'll bring him back to Beacon. Arcee, You bring those pieces back to his room", Blake ordered and dashed back to Beacon.

It might be a long time until Nimbus made a full recovery. But I could smell in his aura that his heart had been scarred, with an even less likely chance of repair. I think he may have lost something far more important to him than his swords that day.

(End of Chapter 10)

.

Beowulf here.

A rather dark way to end the chapter, I know. But this is going to play a very important part in the future story line.

Yes, I know that Insomnia is a rather unusual Grimm but that's the idea. Why such is the case will come in much later on.

In other news, for those of you who are big Bleach fans, I need some guidance in my story, Grimlocked. I realized some critical errors in this one and I will be performing heavy modifications to improve it.

If you have any advice, critiques, or input for WOR or any of my stories that you would like to share please review or PM. And if you feel like it, tell your fellow FanFictionians.

Until next time, this is Beowulf signing out.


	11. Chapter 11: On My Own

Chapter 11: On My Own

(Arcee)

I couldn't believe what that moron just tried to do out there! No one takes on a giant Grimm alone!

But it made no sense what was going on in his head. Why would he dare fight such an opponent alone?

We arrived at the school about ten minutes after Blake. I delivered the crystals and remaining weapon fragments to our room. But before I could leave, curiosity got the better of me and I took one of the smaller pieces of the crystal. It was some form of dust crystal no doubt. But I couldn't pick up any traces of an energy source. Why did Nimbus see it as so important? More importantly, where did it come from? Perhaps I could ask him when he woke up.

Everybody waited outside while the doctors stitched him up. I couldn't believe that Nimbus was still alive after what happened to him. Blake especially was concerned.

But Valentine couldn't bear to wait another second. She quickly folded up her cape and walked into the clinic, tugging me along behind her.

"Are you insane?!" I whispered, "You're going to get us both in trouble!"

"There's something fishy going on here. You saw what happened. No mere human could have survived what he endured! And aren't you curious as to where that Stardust crystal came from?"

"That's what that stuff is?" I asked.

"It turns one's own aura into raw energy. And it doesn't burn out like normal dust."

I took out the piece I examined, "Haven't you noticed that this stuff is the same exact color as his eyes and cape? Seriously, nebulae and all! I'm beginning to think that his eyes are like that _because _of the crystals!"

Val got another idea. "Say, have you ever seen what's inside of his coat?"

"He never goes anywhere without it." she almost yelped, but Oliver's hand went over her mouth for just a moment.

"Don't do that!" I whispered sternly, "You almost blew our cover!"

"If you guys didn't notice," Oliver motioned to follow, "Ozpin and Nimbus are talking!"

Immediately shutting up, we walked over to Nimbus' room and we listened in.

"Nimbus, I hope you realize that this is why we said to wait. We could have taken other actions in time and gotten away without any casualties."

"The reason I acted was not because of my missing friend, but it was a big reason nonetheless. If you haven't heard Port's latest story then you should understand", Nimbus retorted.

"As a matter of fact he has told me", Ozpin sipped his coffee, "Something about Boreas if I remember correctly."

"Boreas", I muttered, "Wasn't he that hero who Professor Port told us about?"

"Yeah, "Oliver recalled, "I remember, he supposedly was killed by...Insomnia."

"That was the same Grimm that Nimbus fought earlier!" Val realized.

"Quiet! They're talking again!" I shushed them as they continued.

"You see", Nimbus hesitated, "he was my father."

Ozpin coughed into his sleeve in surprise, "You mean to say that all of that wasn't one of his tall tales?"

"Of course they're not tall tales", Nimbus confirmed, "I'm the one who told it to him. And Boreas told them to me. Heck I even witnessed some of his fights. For example: Chimera the Demon. I've had his pendant on my necklace for the past fifteen years. Of course I've never had the dust control required to use it."

"So I see that you have a lot to live up to."

"And there's one more monster that has to die before he can rest in peace: the one that killed him. I had to go out and fight Insomnia because he is one of the most elusive creatures on the planet. No one has seen him for the past thirteen years when Boreas wounded it. I might not ever get the chance to find him again! But now even his bow has been broken, for good this time."

I saw Ozpin put his hand on the shoulder of the currently invisible Nimbus, "I made the right choice in making you the team leader. You have a sense of loyalty that I've seen in very few over the years. You fight until at deaths door for the honor of the ones you love. But you have to learn that the idea of being the team leader is that you have to work beside your team. You saw what happened when your comrades came to assist you, you came even closer to beating Insomnia. When the time comes, you will make the killing blow to the beast. Until that time comes, you are to work with the rest of NOVA and all other teams who will offer to help. Can you promise me that?"

"I promise. But I want you to understand that there are a few things related to Stratos that I must attend to on my own, without my team."

"Of course. I understand that you want to remain under the covers for a little while longer. But the truth is going to come out sooner or later."

"I'll be the one to decide when I spread my wings, thank you very much."

I was dumbfounded. After a while, I began to pick up that most of Port's stories were merely his over-active imagination. Nimbus was living proof that not all of them were too good to be true.

"In the meantime," Ozpin looked to the door, "You guys can come out now."

All of us screamed in surprise, especially Nimbus who dove beneath his covers, "What the Spetz are you guys doing here?! Oz! Why didn't you give me the heads up earlier?!" We all noticed that he wasn't wearing his coat beneath that blanket.

"We're sorry", Val stepped in, followed by Oliver and me, "But we had to see if you were okay. But if you wanted to avenge your father, we would have helped whether you wanted it or not. We're not just going to abandon a team mate."

"I can't believe that you're still alive!" Oliver let Sly down onto Nimbus' bed and the little creature licked our leader's face, "That crystal had to have pierced your heart!"

"Not exactly. That shard missed my vitals by a fraction of an inch." I looked to everyone, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you why I left. Frankly there's a lot to me that people just aren't ready for yet. But a day will come when I'll tell you everything there is to know about me. Alright?"

There was a knock on the window and we all looked out to see a boy with messy blonde hair, a unbuttoned white shirt, blue jeans, and red shoes hanging outside the window by his monkey tail. A faunus.

"What is it Mr. Wukong?" Ozpin asked opening the window and he flipped in, "NOVA is having a private discussion."

"I'm just here to deliver a message. Team RWBY has called your team to a meeting in their room. They want you up there ASAP."

"Who might you be?" Val raised an eyebrow, smiling. The faunus walked up to Val and took her hand in his.

"Ah, Valentine Vance. Pleasure an honor to meet you, sweetheart. The name's Wukong, Sun Wukong. I actually just arrived from Mistral myself!" He kissed her hand and she blushed, "But in all seriousness, get up to RWBY's room right now." He casually saluted us as he backed out of the window in a suave manner.

"Well, you guys heard him", Nimbus said, "Don't worry about me. I'll be alright. If team RWBY needs you guys, then you need to help them, not me. I won't be back in action for a little while." Sly hopped back into Oliver's jacket sleeve.

"Take care of yourself", he told Nimbus as he walked away. Valentine whispered something to Nimbus before kissing him on the cheek and walking away. Ozpin followed soon after.

"Hey Arcee", he stopped me, "What can you tell me about metals?"

"Metals?"

"Yeah. Suppose that I'm looking for the strongest and lightest metal in Remnant. What would you suggest?"

"Are you trying to build something?" I asked.

"Maybe."

"If you're looking for something stronger than Nebulite like you were using before, I'd highly suggest vulcanium", I suggested.

"Thanks", he said before laying down and drifting off to sleep.

.

(Oliver)

"I'm just glad that he's alright", Blake sighed with relief.

"Serves him right for going in alone though", Weiss folded her arms as we entered.

"Great! You guys are just in time!" Ruby cheered.

Sun was In the room, along with a guy with blue hair, goggles, a red jacket and black pants.

"Alright, now what?" Val asked, "Why'd you call us here?"

"We're doing some investigations on the White Fang!" Yang said excitedly.

"Does everyone know what to do?"

"I'll contact Schnee headquarters to find any evidence of dust robberies and consistencies. Seeing as I'm in the family it should be easy", Weiss said proudly.

"The White Fang is holding an secret informational meeting tonight if memory serves correct. I'll go in, get the information we need, and sabotage their efforts", Blake said confidently.

"I've got a friend on the dark side of town who supposedly knows everything. Getting information out of him shouldn't be too hard", Yang said with determination.

"Alright!" the blue haired guy said (I later learned that his name was Neptune), "That's three areas to cover and nine of us. That means that we need to fit three people into each one."

"I'll go with Blake!" Sun volunteered.

"Let's see", Yang said, "Weiss, you take Ruby and Oliver to..." she trailed off as a growl rumbled deep in my throat, like an angry Grimm.

"There's no way in the pits of a beowolf's den that I'm working with Ice Heart. Not now, not ever", I snarled, "I'm only sticking around because I despise the White Fang more than the Schnee. I will not bring myself so low as to help them."

"Hey!" Weiss snapped, "You attacked us first! If anything I'm not going so low as to allow you to-" A feather dart shot past her head, pinning her hairpiece to the wall behind her. He ponytail fell, and her hair went straight.

"You want to talk about who attacked first? While you're out searching for records, search for the files on Granite Bark. I guarantee you'll be coming to me for an apology once you read it. But in any case I'm going with Blake."

"He's got a point", Blake said to me, "The only ones who can get in are faunus, and there are only three in this room." Blake removed her bow to reveal a pair of black cat ears. My antennae shot up in surprise.

"So that's why your bow twitched!" I realized, "But there we have it. That's one group down."

"I'll go with Weiss and Valentine!" Ruby raised her hand in an energetic wave.

"I don't know", Weiss blushed as she said, "I was really thinking about having Neptune come along."

Ruby snickered and said, "Nah! Come on you two! Let's get going!"

"But-but-but..."Weiss stuttered as Ruby dragged her down the hall.

"See you guys later!" Valentine said as she followed.

"Well", Yang picked up, "I got the team I wanted: Neptune, me, and Arcee! Allright boys and girls! Let's roll out!

.

(Nimbus)

Of course! All I needed was vulcanium! It's a metal that has only been found in meteorites, and I even had a stash of it back in my workshop in Stratos.

Of course we all know that I wasn't just going to sit around here while Insomnia grows stronger. I had to grow stronger too. I needed a new weapon.

I made sure that no one was around before I opened up the windows and took to the skies. My Stardust flight feathers had since regenerated, so I was no longer grounded. I needed to grab supplies from Altos before I could start building.

It wasn't long before I broke through the clouds of the late afternoon and the skyland of Stratos revealed itself in its true glory. It was good to be back home. Some of the fellow students at the Stratos training academy stared at me as I landed.

"What the heck? He's still alive!" someone said in disgust.

"I missed you too, Zepher", I said not even looking at him.

I looked at Stratos' metropolis and thought to myself that this place didn't seem so different from Remnant. We all socialized the same way, talked the same way. Apart from our wings we were no different from anyone else in Remnant.

Finally my workshop. I kept the location secret, so the soldiers haven't completely ransacked it yet. It would only be a matter of time before they did.

If you remember correctly, they were hunting me down because they believed that I had implanted dust into my own body, a criminal offense here. In reality, that was my semblance that forced this biological change in me. But in any case, the higher ups have been trying to get their hands on any weapons that Boreas left behind, but the law wouldn't allow it. They've been trying to get me out of the way so there would be no one left who could rightfully claim it all. I had hidden most of it on one of the smaller surrounding skylands for safekeeping before I left for Remnant. But there was some that I had yet to even touch.

I quickly went through my designs and tried looking at some possible weapons. I needed something big, as opposed to the two short swords i used before. And I needed something with the most possible firepower. But even within my designs, nothing truly fit the bill of both. The only thing in my blueprints that came relatively close was the pile driver extendable arm cannon. Not even that one could match the firepower that Pluto had before. Even if I decided to build it, my reserves of vulcanium had vanished! I guess the soldiers had been here after all. They had depleted the resources that had taken me over a decade to stock up.

"Scrap it all!" I pounded my fist on the table in frustration. What was the point of a blueprint if you didn't have the supplies to make it? I leaned up against the wall in frustration.

Then the wall fell out behind me and I fell back into a hidden chamber one story below! "Ow!"

As I stood up, the box I was In scanned me with a blue light. A dark hallway opened up. and a hologram transmitter floated in front of me.

**"IDENTIFIED: NIMBUS ALTOS. COMMENCING MESSAGE."** The device showed a picture of a halcyon man with sunset gold hair and a toothbrush goatee. His robes were white and he wore armor beneath.

"Dad? Dad! It's you!" I said with glee.

"Hello Nimbus. Just to clarify, this is one of many possible recorded messages that I've left behind in the system. If you received this phase then I've been dead for the past thirteen years. You can start walking now by the way." Dang he was good! I started walking.

"It appears that your semblance has finally awoken just as I suspected it would, but it will bring trouble with the council if it hasn't already done so. Apparently it has done so, because most of the items in my old workshop, now yours, are gone. I can only hope that they are all safely in your hands." I drooped at this. "I was afraid of that. But I've also noted that your bow has been broken. The chemicals it released onto you upon breaking were picked up by the scanners before. More importantly, the scanners have picked up traces of Insomnia himself, fairly recent too. I can conclude that you must have lost the weapon in battle with him. If so, I'm sure you've finally realized why I've lost my life. The first and obvious reason is because I might have underestimated him. Second, I may not have come prepared with a proper weapon."

He led me into a large circular vault with a large chest inside. Opening it up I saw that it was jam packed with vulcanium ingots! There was also a sheet of folded paper.

"Those bastards from the council probably thought that they got all of my stash. Not this one. And if that paper is still in that chest by the time you read this then it means that my weapon was never truly completed." All of a sudden the hologram disappeared.

A cold chill ran down my spine as I detected someone's aura and it was coming from the paper! Then I felt a hand on my shoulder and whirled around to see Boreas himself!

"You're..You're alive!" I said as I reached for him but my hand passed through him.

"I can't believe it actually worked", he chuckled, "No, I said it before, I'm dead. This is merely an aura transfusion I placed before I died. It's the real me, but I don't have much time", he looked me over, "You've grown into a fine young man."

I fell to my knees, "Dad, I'm sorry. I lost your bow. I failed."

"Then stop dropping about it!" I stood stiff, "Yes it is always a shame whenever a weapon breaks, but that isn't the end of it. Yes, it's true that the weapon one lets the owner forever in the minds of others. But you never truly had that connection to your weapon because you didn't make it to begin with! That's why the schools have students build their own weapons, so they can truly get the feel of having a weapon being completely one's own design, or at least made to perfectly accustom the huntsman."

"I know, but I've already looked at every scrap of blueprint that I've drawn up!" I walked around the room, "Not one of them managed to best the design that you made. All I could do was build on what you left behind."

"There's nothing wrong with that. In fact it's incredible that you could enhance my bow so much, coming even closer to beating Insomnia then I did. I made the original while you worked on the upgrade. But like I said, there was one weapon that I meant to build, but never got the chance to make. Once it can be completed , there will be no doubt that it will be the tool you need to win. Go ahead kiddo, have a look." I unfolded the paper and gazed at the masterpiece. It was perfect, just what I needed!

"All it needs now is a power source, one that you've already got your hands on", he told me.

I pocketed the blueprint and said, "I can't possibly thank you enough!"

His form began to dissolve slowly from his feet up, "I'm afraid that my time is up. Remember, no matter what anyone else says, I am beyond proud to have you as my son." He Embraced me in a hug, now fully physical for a mere moment.

"I'm just glad that you are my father", I hugged him back.

"One more thing, don't keep your team in the dark for much longer. The day that you carry your new weapon into battle again, make it the dawn of a new time. Make it your Celestial Dawn."

Those were his last words. He dissolved in a shower of embers that drifted to the ceiling and disappeared. Celestial Dawn. That was the weapon's name.

I looked at my father's design one more time. It had a firepower stronger than anything else in my designs, and the sheer power of its melee form was something that Pluto severely lacked in. I had to make this! Now!

I quickly picked up the chest and made a break for the edge of the skyland.

.

(Valentine)

"Look, I don't have a problem with this, but why are we going all the way out here to make a call?" I asked.

"It's just that this place it so cool!" Ruby squealed.

"The Cross Continental Transmit is what connects all of Remnant. It was Atlas' gift to the world after the Great War", Weiss said.

"'Oh, look at me! I'm Weiss I'm rich! I know facts!'" Ruby mocked in a very annoying tone before she realized, "Ooh! I have to take a picture!" she fumbled for her scroll before it was dropped. A girl with short orange hair, a beige shirt and black pants picked it up.

"Oh, you dropped this", she said with a smile as Ruby took her scroll back.

"Penny? Where have you been?! I haven't seen you since the docks!" Ruby exclaimed.

"I'm sorry", Penny replied, "I think you must be confused. I must be going." She walked away.

"Penny! Wait up! I need you to help me!" Ruby went after her.

"That dunce!" Weiss growled until I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Let her go, Weiss. Ruby made it sound like this 'Penny' might just know something useful about the White Fang. We have to trust that whatever she's doing, it's for the good of the team."

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just get this over with", she groaned as we stepped into the elevator. Our scrolls were scanned and we were taken up to the communications room.

"Welcome to the CCT! How may I help you?" the holographic manager asked Weiss.

"I'd like to contact Schnee headquarters in Atlas, please", she requested.

"Absolutely! Just go to a terminal and I'll patch you through!"

"Thanks!" Weiss said as we both went to a terminal and Weiss took a deep nervous breath. A Schnee manager came on the screen.

"Welcome to Schnee Head...Oh! Miss Schnee! Good afternoon! Would you like to patch you throught to your father? I think your sister, Winter, might be here."

"That's okay. Actually I was hoping you could compile some files for me." Weiss plugged in her scroll and the manager raised an eyebrow.

"I see. Might I ask what you need this for?"

"School project", Weiss bent the truth just a little, "Also, I would like you to add any files connected to the name Eastman and some place called Granite Bark, if you would."

"I don't know, these are some specifically classified files, especially on the two latter topics mentioned", the manager warned.

"Then I'll be sure to handle them with care", Weiss assured.

"Very well. All requested files have been sent to the school. Are you sure you wouldn't like me to patch you through to you father?"

"No! Thank you anyway!" Weiss insisted as the transmission was cut and she sighed with relief.

"Granite Bark?" I questioned.

"It's that name that Oliver mentioned back in the meeting. I'm getting tired of dealing with him blindly! I have to get to the bottom of his past once this mission is done."

(End of Chapter 11)

.

WOOHOO! Beowulf is back!

I have been astronomically productive during the past two days, so I was able to fit this bad boy in!

First off, I had to bring Boreas back, if only for a moment. I don't think that Nimbus could have gone on without it.

And just for the record, Vulcanium is a metal that I personally imagined. It should prove to make a perfect weapon. I also want to make it clear that I will be using pictures from Deviant Art to provide an apt description of Celestial Dawn once it's complete. ALL PICTURES WILL BE CITED and they all belong to their respective owners. I will make sure to name the ones who posted the pictures that I use.

Change is coming to the worlds of Remnant.

Beowulf out.


	12. Chapter 12: Injustice

Chapter 12: Injustice

(Oliver)

Blake looked over the scratch mark on the wall of a dark alleyway: the sign of a secret White Fang meeting.

"How do you know so much about the White Fang?" I asked.

"I was once a member before I saw what they were really like", she confessed.

We walked in and were handed our Grimm masks. I walked over to a corner and changed into a slightly taller boy with red hair.

"Why do we wear these?" Sun asked.

"Humanity wanted to make us monsters, so we made ourselves look like monsters", Blake said bluntly.

"Grimm masks. That's kind of dark", Sun shivered.

"So was the one who started it" she said as we put on the masks.

"Always sunshine and rainbows with you", Sun muttered.

We walked into a large auditorium and the hair on the back of my head prickled in anger. The room was filled with soon to be members and several hundred official members with weapons in this one room. A large curtain covered up part of the stage up front.

I began to growl, knowing full well that I was surrounded by the people I hated the most. My Grimm half was begging to run amok and rid Remnant of these people.

"Oliver", Blake told me, "You have to calm down. We're here on recon, not for an all out assault."

"Thank you all for coming", the leader said up front, "I would like you all to help us welcome a very special friend of ours. He is no doubt the key to achieving what we have fought for for so long!" As he said this, a man stepped forward. He wore black pants and shoes, a bowler hat, A white dress coat and he held a cane in his hand. His eyes were green and his orange hair swept over one eye.

"Who the heck is that?" I whispered.

"Roman Torchwick. He's a criminal who only recently started running the White Fang's Dust retrieval operations", Blake explained.

"What's a human doing here?" a faunus somewhere in the crowd yelled as boos rose from the crowd.

"I'm glad you asked, dear", Torchwick said in a joking tone, "Let me be the first one to say that humans are the worst. Case and point, I understand why you would like to have us all locked away, or better yet, killed. But I want everybody to realize that you and I have a common enemy: the ones in control, the people pulling the strings, the dirty rotten humans that rule our kingdoms. Military, government, even the schools, they're all to blame for your lot in life!" the crowd began to mumble and nod in agreement, "And they're all pests that need to be dealt with. Luckily I'm the best exterminator around. No offence to any rodents or insects in the room."

"Yeah, I take offense to that", I muttered with an antenna twitching in annoyance. But Roman walked to the side of the stage and let the curtain drop to reveal a giant battle suit. it was thirty feet tall, and was a walking arsenal of weapons: rockets, Gatling guns, giant fists. This thing had it all!

"This little toy", Roman continued, "is Atlas' new line of defense against the scary things in the world. And thanks to my...employer, we managed to snag a few before they 'hit the shelves'. Now i'm sure that many of you are aware of our operations in the southeast. If you'd rather stay in the city, that's fine. But if you're really ready to fight for what you believe in, this is the arsenal I can supply you with. Any questions?"

The crowd looked to each other, nodded, and gradually began to turn into a full on uproar of a cheer.

"All new recruits come this way!" the leader directed and every faunus in the crowd walked over to him.

My face grew dark, "I see. So that's it. That's what they hoped to accomplish. All this time, what happened was no accident?!" my fist tightened to the point of popping my knuckles, "All they want is for humans to disappear. I don't care what it takes, I will kill the one in charge of this!"

.

(Arcee)

Far below me, Yang rocketed down the streets on her bike, Bumblebee. Neptune rode on the back until we parked outside of a nightclub.

"He's in here", the blonde stepped away.

"How exactly did you manage to find a friend on this side of town?" I said landing, "It seems kind of ghetto out here."

"Don't let the setting fool you. This place it far from quiet", Yang warned us as we stepped into the lobby of the club and two of the guards ran back into the dance hall, locking the door behind them, "Aw! How sweet, he remembers me!" Yang joked before she busted down the door, "Guess who's back!" she called.

_CHA-CHINK! _The collective sound was heard as every last guard in the club was at the door with their guns aimed right at us. I quickly turned my gauntlets to cannon mode as we stood there in a stand off. The music shut off.

"Define friend for me", Neptune said nervously. The owner rushed to the front of the pack.

"Don't shoot!" he straightened his tie, "Blondie! You're back! Why?"

"You still owe me a drink, Junior", she grabbed the back of his collar and dragged him back to the bar. Neptune tried to go after the twin dancers.

That left me alone.

"Hey, get the music back on", someone said. A henchman tried to start up the sound systems but they sparked, forcing him to shut it off. I flew up to the stage.

"What's the problem?" I asked.

"Damn thing hasn't worked the same since that blonde came for her first round. She completely wrecked the place", the guard recalled.

"Let me look", I took a look inside the machine, "Okay, I see several problems in here. first off, it's not plugged in all the way, which is why it didn't play as loud. On top of that, one of the wires is corroded and frayed." I activated one of my gauntlet's many multi-tool functions and pulled out some wire cutters and removed the broken wire sections. I grabbed some electric tape, fixed the wire and plugged it back in. Suddenly the speakers boomed with new life.

"That should do it!" I closed it up.

"What did we get?" I asked walking back up to Yang as we left.

"We got everything we could, but he doesn't know anything new."

(Oliver)

I was absolutely shocked by how many people, normal faunus citizens, could possibly go with such a cause like this. The White Fang had murderous intent, and it was becoming clear that the people had this same intent. This was no longer just about revenge, not for me anyway. If that Paladin and all the others (hidden who knows where) actually were released in a populated area with the Fang behind the wheel, hundreds of people would die.

My past would become the case for countless others. But then I understood. I saw a connection. I could _not _let this happen.

"He sees us!" Sun muttered as Torchwick spotted us in the crowd.

"He can't see in the dark", Blake pointed out as she shot the fuse box on the wall and the lights went out. Now only Torchwick couldn't see anything.

Everyone screamed in panic.

"You guys make a run for it!" I told Blake and Sun, "I'll keep the Fang busy! I can buy you both some time!"

"Are you sure?" Blake asked.

"DO IT!" I yelled at them.

Blake looked at me with sad eyes, then said quietly, "That's exactly what Adam said..."

"Good luck man!" Sun gave me a fist bump before he flipped out the window.

"And Blake!" I said. She turned around to face me, but I had wrapped us both in my tail and gave her a kiss on the lips, surprising her. We both exchanged a brief flash of tongue before I broke the kiss as my tail dissolved

"Just in case I won't make it", I blushed, "Just in case this is a friend's goodbye."

"Don't let us down, Grimm Reaper", she smiled and dove after Sun. The Paladin, piloted by Torchwick, burst into the streets after them.

"You! Hands in the air!" five White Fang grunts had tracked us down in the hall. They forced me to the wall with my hands cuffed behind my back. By now I was still in my disguised form. I would have to play along for a little.

.

(Arcee)

"It didn't eat him. He's like...controlling it or something!" Sun yelled on the radio.

"Where are you?" Yang asked as a robot dashed down the street.

"HURRY!" Sun screamed in panic.

"I think that was them", Neptune sighed.

But I recognized the robot chasing him. That was a Paladin Mk 1! It was a weapon that my father designed. but I could clearly see the White Fang's logo painted on the side!

Something boiled inside of me, an emotion I wasn't used to feeling: injustice. I had to fight!.

"Come back here you scum!" I barked as I blasted off over the freeway it sped down. I couldn't get in close enough with those cars flying everywhere.

Sun and Neptune both went over the bridge, knocked aside by the Paladin. I looked to the road ahead and saw Weiss freezing the freeway. The Paladin lost its grip and broke through the barriers of the bridge to the concrete far below. I dropped down beside team RWBY and Valentine.

"Nice to have you join the party", Val said excited. Her double spear was out and flickering with Stardust energy. We all prepared to face the titanium titan. Suddenly I picked up a fast moving object coming in.

"Heads up at seven o'clock!" I yelled as a second Paladin rolled past us before performing a cartwheel to Roman's side. This one wasn't so much loaded up on firepower as it was armed with heavy melee weapons. Giant blades rested on its arms that stretched past its hands and even further past its elbows. A "backpack was on its back, probably with more weapons of sorts.

"So you finally decided to show up, Cypher", the original pilot (Torchwick) said to the second. But the new arrival said absolutely nothing, and only turned his head to his partner, "You need to talk more! Your silence it so freaking creepy! Take your pick." The second Paladin looked us over and threw his blades at me and Val.

"Go!" I told the other team, "You guys take that one and we'll take this one!"

"You guys would get in our way if we chose anything different", Weiss pointed her blade at Torchwick before she and Yang cast a smokescreen of mist around them.

By now, "Cypher", Val, and I had already exited the cloud and engaged in an all out brawl. This one was significantly faster than it looked. I took to the air and changed my gauntlets to cannon mode. I took aim and fired off rounds of plasma blasts, not dust, plasma. I had decided to use a projectile that was different from all others. But the robot was dodging them with ease. Val struck from behind with that rapid swipe projectile attack that she likes to call star storm. The Paladin sliced back, forcing Val to retreat with her semblance.

She swung her staff which suddenly extended another ten feet in length, allowing a long ranged melee. Her weapon shortened a little, one blade opened up in halves, and another end turned into a shoulder rest. A rifle. She fired three rounds before the Paladin returned fire with a railgun attached to its shoulder.

On the farther side of the battlefield, RWBY successfully took off the Paladin's right arm. I noticed this as I dove for our opponent battering its frame. I stepped back before shoving me away hard. I couldn't hold out like this for much longer. The two of us alone didn't have the firepower required. But I still had one more trump card.

I turned to the severed Paladin arm and jammed my gauntlet inside of the shoulder joint, "Comand sequence: Augment RC!" I shouted as my glove transformed, identifying the severed part of my father's handiwork. It removed and replaced the fractured pieces, then formed its own frame to fit! A metal sleeve ran up my arm and secured my shoulder. "Augment Complete!" I yelled as my new Paladin arm came to life, "Living Machine!"

I leaped forward and slammed my new appendage into the chest of the Paladin and sent it into one of the concrete columns. While it struggled to get up, I grabbed its torso and heaved upwards, "I won't let you tarnish the work of my father! I...WILL...WIN!" I roared in determination as Cypher was lifted from the ground, over my shoulder and back to the ground with a _CRASH! _I did it twice more before the frame began to fall apart. I wound up for one last punch, shattering the robot entirely and the pilot was rocketed backwards, out of the cockpit, and two feet deep in one of the stone columns.

I found it very difficult to describe the man inside. He was tall and had a shock of slicked back brown hair. He wore some sort of exo-suit. His left hand was visible, but his right arm had none of the suit covering it. That's because it was already completely machine!

Valentine gasped as she looked at the body. His radiant green eyes opened and he removed himself from the column. He looked at us and said not a word. But Valentine looked at his face in sheer horror.

"Cody?" Valentine whispered.

The man fell to the ground at the sound of that name, his form arched with electricity, "Val...I...didn't..." he exhaled slowly as he collapsed. Valentine collapsed her weapon and ran over to the fallen man's body. Carefully she sat down and she held him in her arms. Why was she being so emotional?

Roman went down too and was flying away in a bullhead with a strange looking girl with pink and brown hair. The bullhead stopped over us and Torchwick looked down on the fallen man with disgust.

"Worthless piece of machinery", he muttered.

Valentine roared in anger and whipped out her riffle in an instant, shooting Torchwick in the shoulder before he could react. He staggered back, but listened to Val as she cursed him.

"Now you've made it personal! This is a declaration of war! The next time we meet, you will face Mistralian justice for harming a noble Knight of the Round!"

With that Torchwick blasted off into the night. Valentine looked to the young man as the rest of RWBY arrived.

"Hold him still!" I rushed forward and put my gloved hand over his chest. My equipment scanned his vitals, "I can't believe that he's still in such good shape. That exo-suit saved his body from the impact." I picked up a strange current in his nervous system and looked to the back of his neck. There was a collar with a small device over his spinal chord, which I carefully removed.

"A remote receiver. It was manipulating him by tuning out his actions with actions and commands from someone else. He won't be fighting us again", I assured Val, "But, who is he?"

I heard someone clapping for us, and we all turned to see Nimbus, standing at the bottom of one of the fire escapes.

"Nicely done! What did I miss?"

"Nimbus!" Blake called as we all ran over to him, Val still carrying "Cody".

"You should still be recovering!" Weiss scolded me.

"Like I was going to miss out on this!" he laughed, "I saw the last bit of the battle." His eyes drifted to something in the pile of scrap metal and he walked over to dig it out. It was the railgun that Cypher had used in the battle before. It was comprised of two shafts with rugged interlocking "teeth" in the ap between them. It was easily four and a half feet in length. Nimbus looked it over, then nodded.

"It will do. Let's go home."

.

(Oliver)

I had to fight in the heart of the swarm. I needed to take out all of the Fang at once. Sure enough, the lights turned back on and I was brought back to the auditorium. I was shoved to the ground onstage and the crowd roared.

"Who would have thought we'd have a traitor in our midst?" the leader spoke to the crowd as he walked up on stage, "Brothers! Sisters! Here is what happens when humans take control, as Roman said! Our brother here has been coerced to turn on not just the White Fang, but all Faunus everywhere! They have disturbed the peace that we fought so hard to gain. With the death of this traitor", someone tossed him a sword, "We come one step closer!" Two Faunus held me in place as the leader prepared to stab my throat, "Do you have any last words or requests? We will listen if you have any."

"You scumbags", I growled, "Do you honestly think I came because of the humans? I came on my own. You all talk about peace. But there would be peace right now if the White Fang never existed."

"Lies!" the man put a scratch on my neck, "Humans and Faunus can never live together! Time and time again, history has proven that the humans are the monsters!"

"Tell that to the people who died at Granite Bark!" I snapped causing the room to go silent.

"What did you say?" the man turned to me.

"You heard me. Granite Bark, seven years ago. It was a bloodbath battle between the Schnee and the White Fang. Out of any place in Remnant, the humans and Faunus of Granite Bark live together in harmony viewing each other as equals. We never even heard of the White Fang. But then you all came along and tore us to the ground jealous that you couldn't gain the happy life that a half-breed like me had! And you all know how the kingdoms see half breeds. No matter what race you belonged to, you could find a warm welcome there. I despise the Schnee for ruining my home. But I hate the White Fang even more because they fought out of sheer jealousy! They killed the innocent! Human and Faunus alike! And I should know; I saw it happen!"

"If you really are a survivor of Granite Bark, then do me a favor and go to the grave where you belong!" the man stabbed forward through my chest with his blade and I coughed up blood and went limp in the arms of the guards. He kept his sword in me and his hand on his sword as he said, "This is yet another reason why humans and faunus can't live together. In the event of a half breed, they don't know who to fight for. May you have repose for your soul in the afterlife."

_SNAP! _

I broke my chains and grabbed hold of the leader, who looked at me with wide eyes. Playtime was over. I let out a low chuckle and raised it up to a menacing laugh as I tore the sword from my chest.

"That actually hurts. It's a good thing I killed that beowolf earlier, or that actually would have killed me." The wound smoked and closed up.

"Have your compatriots informed you of what happened to the last Schnee raid?" I deactivated my disguise and assumed my full Grimm form as I slashed at him, sending him bloodied to the ground off stage. I quickly shot down the remaining members.

"I leave the final decision up to you", I addressed the crowd who were now terrified by my physical form, "Look at me, a result of a genetic experiment, that made me one third Grimm. But I was betrayed by people that I trusted with my life, the people who saved me from the horrors of the Granite Bark tragedy, soon to be eight years ago. And the ones who did this were both human _and _faunus who were very much like yourselves! Since that is the case, why am I not condemning you people, members of my second race? You had nothing to do with that event. The White Fang did, and I condemn them for that! Yet at the same time, I only condemn the Schnee, instead of all humans. You", I pointed to them, "have only half of the pain and suffering that I did. Why is it then that you condemn all humans. Think about that, and understand that if you are with the Fang, you make an enemy of me."

I walked off of the stage, turning into my natural state with these final words, "I promise that the day will come when Granite Bark can be reborn in all of Remnant. A day will come when humans and faunus alike can live together in peace and as equals."

That speech had made me feel cold inside. And that feeling beginning to spread. I knew why. And that was particularly why I had to take tomorrow off.

(End of Chapter 12)

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HEY HEY HEY! It's Beowulf!

Man! I've been really productive as of late! I've only posted chapter 11 not but two days ago and now Ch 12 is already out! I need to keep this up!

I used this chapter to add yet another level of conflict to Arcee and Valentine. Who exactly is Cody?

And finally, Oliver sheds the details of the Granite Bark tragedy. But there's still a long way to go in regards to our Grimm Reaper's history.

Until next time! Beowulf out!


	13. Chapter 13: The Horror she Ignored

Chapter 13: The Horror she Ignored

(Oliver)

I watched in the ring far below as Pyrah went against all four members of Cardin's team, completely mopping the floor with them. It was becoming obvious why. I knew all about that polarity semblance, but she didn't show it off in battle. But she made it impossible for anyone else to tell.

"Very well done, Miss Nikos. Let's see...Mercury. Choose your opponent", Goodwitch said to a silver haired student. I didn't like this guy. Right off the bat I could smell in his aura that he would be a nasty character.

They battled, and I saw Ruby talking to Mercury's partner, Emerald. She had her share of secrets too, exactly what was beyond me. But I sensed a significantly friendlier nature in her. The other partner, Cinder, was observing the fight with those glowing ember eyes. She was powerful, very powerful. It scared me. The three were transfer students if I remember correctly.

I took notes of Mercury's weapons while Cinder kept her focus and note taking on Pyrah. Sly glared at the fire-eyed young woman and a growl purred deep in his throat. He didn't like them. That didn't exactly mean that they were evil or anything, but rather it would be wise just not to place my trust in them.

"Then I noticed that something else was up. Nimbus wasn't here. He had been admitted out of the hospital after some miraculous healing. He should have been with everyone else in the ring, but he wasn't here

"I forfeit", Mercury said smack dab in the middle of the match, catching all of us off guard. I was infuriated.

"Hold it!" I stood up, causing Mercury to stop in his tracks, "I'm next, Miss Goodwitch. I challenge him!"

"No can do", Mercury taunted, "Like I said, I'm done."

"What kind of huntsman are you?" I snarled, "Fighting is not something that a huntsman can simply end at a given time! And the people who forfeit without reason are nothing but cowards!" I vaulted into the arena after letting Sly down in my seat, "And it's always going to be the cowards who die in the battlefield." I quickly spun myself into a ball and peeled out on the floor before rocketing towards the grey haired boy. He blocked me with a kick. I kept spinning in place as he struggled to hold me off.

I flashed out my tail, launched him, and hid it again before anyone could see. Thus far, only Teams RWBY and the rest of NOVA actually knew. I had to use my powers without letting anyone else know.

I shoved him against the wall with an open palm and wound up my right arm to prepare a slash.

"Oliver! Stop this at once!" Miss Goodwitch barked. I came back to my senses. That Grimm rage subsided as I realized that I almost killed another student.

"I'm...sorry. I guess I let myself get out of hand", I slowly walked out the door to the arena, and Sly caught up with me. Goodwitch called a break as she caught up with me.

"Oliver! What's the matter with you?! You broke the rules of the arena and nearly killed that boy!" she scolded.

"You don't think I know that?" I clenched my fists for a moment, "It's...scaring me."

"I'm sending you up to see Ozpin. Don't be late", she typed on her scroll.

"Don't bother, I have to talk to him anyway", I walked to his office, "And by the way, if my team or team RWBY asks where I am, tell them that I'm heading home to Vacuo until I've calmed down.

.

(Valentine)

I never expected to see him again, not after the news I heard before. The very moment that the Paladin battle was over, I leaped all the way back to Beacon and brought the injured young man to the medics. All of team RWBY joined me in his hospital room, keeping watch over him.

"Stop keeping us in the dark", Yang told me, "Who is he?"

"Cody Dragonclaw", I confirmed, "Of the Mistralian Royal Draco Scales. They were something of a second royal bloodline that lived to protect the throne as knights would. Cody was...one of them, essentially a prince. He and I were childhood friends. We trained together, trained together. Time past and he essentially became my knight in shining armor. Seriously, he was assigned to be my guardian knight at the age of sixteen. But he was always so much more to me, and the feeling was mutual. Of course, such relations between Scales and the girls they guarded were extremely common, if not expected."

"That's so sweet", Ruby said in admiration.

My face grew dark, "We would have gone on like that. But the day came, about four months later, when he was sent out on a mission as the entire Draco Scale escorted me and the nobles to a council meeting. The entire squadron was attacked by something, I don't know what, but Cody was separated from the group. All that the knights ever found of him was his severed right shoulder, and a trail of blood. We all knew that he was dead. Since then, I've trained to be a huntress, so I could defend myself without having to feel the pain of losing another knight."

"But how did the White Fang get a hold of him?" Blake asked.

"I can only assume that they saved him,turning him into a cyborg to use for their own purposes", I sighed, "But, I'm just glad that he's alright. Even if he's no longer in one piece, he's still alive." We all stopped to hear him rustling under his blankets and his eyes opened. Looking at his scarred right side of his face, and that odd flickering in his iris, I could tell that his right eye was cybernetic too.

"Val", he struggled to speak, "is that...really you?"

I held his human left hand, "It's you. Thank Dust it's really you!" I said before embracing him, "I can't believe you're still alive!"

He almost hugged me back but suddenly he sprang back to life upon seeing the others, "Whoa!" his blankets were flung into the air as he commando rolled with me to the corner of the room. He was dressed in hospital garments not but a moment ago, but now he was suddenly dressed in hie signature exo-suit armor with his shield!

"What the hell?!" Weiss jumped back after she noticed the armor and whatnot just appearing out of nowhere in the blink of an eye!

"Stay behind me!" Cody said as he set his shield, Steel Heart. Steel heart was huge, almost as tall as Cody was, and it was gold with a purple insignia of a dragon's head. A special gauntlet system allowed the shield to automatically switch to either wrist, or both at the same time when needed. If he needed to take the offensive, the shield could split down the middle and rotate ninety degrees in towards him as two giant blades. When In its singular form, He could aim the top of the shield with a targeting sight, and it would act as a shotgun. He was a line of defense that very few could ever pass, a true powerhouse.

"Wait! Cody, these are my friends!" I stood in front of him.

"What about the girl in black?" he squinted at Blake, "I remember seeing her with that accursed Adam Taurus."

"Former White Fang", I quickly explained, "Don't worry, we're safe here."

He sighed with relief as he made his shield vanish, "Where exactly is 'here'?"

"Beacon Academy in Vale!" Yang said casually putting her hand on her hip, "And according to what your highness has told us, you've been dead for the past two years."

"Two years? But that means...I have to get back to the Draco Scales!"

"That won't be necessary", Ozpin interrupted him as he stepped in, "Valentine has already explained who you are to me and the Draco Scales have already been informed of your survival. As such, they have instructed that once you wake up, you are to remain with Valentine, as her classmate. Here, you will resume your former duties. The rest of you please step outside. Val and Cody have a lot of catching up to do." Everyone walked outside, leaving Cody and me alone.

"You've grown so much Val", he said embracing me in a hug. Without another word, I did something that I haven't done in over two years: I kissed him.

.

(Weiss)

I really didn't like the idea of Oliver just vanishing like that. Yes, Ozpin gave him permission from what I heard, but why didn't he tell his own team. I do recall him saying something about Vacuo, however. It was high time that I really got to the bottom of this. I had to understand why he hated me so much, and if so, why didn't he side with the White Fang?

So I chose a time that day when everyone else was busy (Blake had been especially busy in her White Fang research). I opened my scroll and opened up the files that were sent here from the company's headquarters. I specified the file search to Granite Bark. A single folder opened.

Sure enough, Granite Bark was a place that was now in Vacuo territory, due to recent expansion. Granite Bark was a very large wooded settlement that had apparently had unusual human and faunus relations, and was home to the majority of Remnant's half-breed population.

An incident occurred seven years ago and according to the records, Members of a rogue White Fang group have been setting up camp secretly in the town's perimeters.

Then I found a video file taken from the armor camera of one of the soldiers sent to apprehend the criminals. The guards had infiltrated the town and confronted a large group of people. This group was all faunus. But a single man, a human, stood in between the soldiers and the citzens who prepared to take up arms.

"What's the meaning of this?!"

"Your town is housing members of the White Fang! We must bring them all down, and anyone who stands with them!" the commander said.

"Like hell. We have no interest with your conflict. If they're here, they seek refuge. Granite Bark exists to provide a home to those who face discrimination of the outside world! You can either leave now", the man pulled out a katana, "or we will consider this a declaration of war! You cannot just walk into our home in such a way, and you cannot target the faunus who you suspect!"

_BANG! _The man went silent as a single shot rang out. He stood there for a moment, then his eyes closed as he fell t the ground. The soldier had shot him in the heart. All of the people roared in anger as they prepared to defend their home, and the battle began. But over the uproar, I saw a little boy, dragging the dead man's body away from the fight, tears filled his eyes as he pleaded in the hope that his father was still alive. The soldiers saw the boy trying to help the man and they open fired. But the boy narrowly escaped with his father's katana.

The citizens fought well, but were eventually brought down by the remaining soldiers. They advanced and found the White Fang confronting a group of humans. But a Faunus woman stood between them.

"Stop this! Why are you doing this?!" she cried out.

"Stand aside woman, or you're going down with the human scum behind you!" the leader began to unsheathe his sword.

"You monsters!" she roared at them, "You people are a disgrace to the faunus, and to Remnant!" she dashed forward with a spear and engaged in an epic duel with the Fang leader.

Then out of nowhere, that boy from before dashed forward and swung with his sword. The man was disarmed by the woman, caught the child's blade, kicked the child to the ground and then stabbed the woman through the heart.

Her eyes went wide with pain and tears welled up, "I'm sorry, Kyle." she fell to her knees and then dropped to her side.

The child looked at this event in horror, "Mom!" he tried to get to her, but three slashes, sent the boy back to the ground. On his chest were the same scratch mark patterns that were on the organization's logo.

"Well, what do you know? A half breed", the leader forced the kid up by his hair (and antennae) then kicked him back beside his mother. Then he addressed all present, "Granite Bark is an example of what happens when humans get into the minds of Faunus. What we have here," he pointed his sword at the boy, "is an example of when a human corrupts our kind to our core of existence, to our DNA!" The man sheathed the katana and tossed it aside, letting it roll beneath the porch of a house. "That's why this must come to pass. Granite Bark", he drew his own sword and prepared to stab the boy, "must be burned to the ground!"

The boy held his mother in his arms weeping bitterly, until he looked up and howled, "NOOOO!" in a volume and manner that was neither human nor faunus. It was only then that I saw that his icy blue eyes had turned blood red. That cry echoed through the mountains, causing everyone, even the White Fang leader to step back in surprise. There was utter silence.

The faunus stepped forward again to finish the boy, until a similar howl responded, followed by dozens more. But the boy never noticed. Screeches and roars followed close behind.

"Fall back! Everyone fall back!" a soldier called out just as three giant nevermores flew over the buildings and several Ursa Majors and Alpha Beowolves dropped in from the bird Grimm's airdrop. The soldier who held the camera lost his helmet and the Grimm stormed the ranks as the Fang and soldiers made a run for it. The helmet camera was on the ground, focused on the little boy holding on to his mother as the Grimm stormed the ruined city. But they all passed right by him, all of them knowing that they needed to eliminate the armed threat first.

All that horror, sadness, negativity had been funneled into that one boy and had attracted a powerhouse hoard of Grimm. The Grimm had ironically saved his life!

The video finally cut off.

I was beyond horrified. I expected that from the Fang of course. But the Schnee troops attacked civilians who simply wanted to protect their home! We _did _make the first move!

I looked over that one last file, a set of ID's. The first was the man who stood up directly to the Schnee forces: Kyle Eastman. Then the faunus woman: Elise Eastman.

I checked the last ID even though I had already deduced who it was. I saw the boy. He had scruffy black hair that hung over one eye. He smiled happily and one of his antennae was tilted to the side. He was a happy child. Not anymore.

That boy was Oliver Eastman.

I could hardly even tell it was him. That happy child had been replaced by a young man who was hell bent by his own hatred.

Finally I looked over the official statistics of the entire event. Sure enough, the tragedy had occurred eight years ago, tomorrow. Oliver was going back to Granite Bark. But something was still bugging me. If Oliver really was part Grimm, the pain of his past might drive Oliver into another violent state. I couldn't let that happen.

.

(Arcee)

I raced Yang out of the storage room with the speakers in hand and back into the ball room where we put them down with a _THUMP. _

"I win!" Yang cheered.

"No way!" I argued, "You were like one second behind me! Ruby! Who won?"

Ruby just sat there at the table with a glum look.

"What's the matter with you?" Yang walked up to her, "Aren't you excited about the dance?"

"What's the point if Blake isn't going?" she sighed,

"Trust, me. She's going", Yang said before turning to Weiss, "What did I tell you, Weiss? No doilies!"

"If I don't get doilies, you won't get fog machines!"

"Your dance is gonna have fog machines?" Neptune said entering with Sun behind him.

"We were thinking about it", Weiss put her hands behind her back.

"What'll you be wearing?" I asked Sun.

"Uh...this", Sun gestured to his clothes before Neptune interrupted him.

"Ignore him, for he knows not what he says."

"Hey, I may have moved to Mistral, but I was raised in Vacuo. It's not exactly a shirt ant tie kind of place", Sun explained.

"Vacuo", Weiss whispered to herself quietly.

"Whatever. But I'll be turning heads tomorrow night", Yang said confidently but she trailed off as Weiss glyph dashed around the room to quickly complete her final tasks.

"That reminds me, I have something really important to do right now, bye!" she dashed out the door in a frantic manner.

"What?! Weiss!" I flew after her, "What's the rush?!"

"I have a mission to attend to, and my ride's here!" she dashed ahead even faster. A bullhead flew up from behind the cliff and opened up by the docking bay.

"Where to Miss Schnee?" the pilot said.

"Granite Bark, Vacuo! And step on it!" Weiss said as the craft took off.

"No you don't!" I said grabbing on to the door and upping the entire bullhead slowly back to the docking bay.

"How are you doing that?!" she yelled over the engines.

"You tell me what's going on!" I yelled.

"Arcee! If you value Oliver at all, you have to let me go!" she yelled.

"Oliver?" I muttered. What did he have to do with this?

"Tell Ozpin where I'm going! Granite Bark! He'll know what to do!" she said as I let the ship fly away.

.

"She did what?!" Ozpin raised his voice, making all of us jump. I had never seen Ozpin like this before.

"That's what she told me", I said nervously as Ozpin paced the floor with his cane.

"This is not good", he groaned, "RWBY, NOVA. I need you both to be at the ready. Bring Weiss back here before she can reach Granite Bark."

"Ozpin, how is Oliver involved in this?" I asked and he stopped in his tracks, "Weiss said that if we valued Oliver at all we would let her go. How is he tied to Granite Bark?"

Ozpin sat down with his elbows on his desk and his head in his hands, "I have a sneaking suspicion that you won't leave if I don't come clean...again. Very well. I'm certain that you don't know the full details of Oliver's hatred for the Schnee and the White Fang. Eight years ago to the day, the two entities clashed in a battle that massacred the civilians of a settlement known as Granite Bark. Thousands died in the crossfire and the Grimm attack that followed was nothing short of catastrophic, driving away any remaining forces. But what most don't know is that the events that took place created a monster. Oliver Eastman was the sole survivor of Granite Bark." We all remained silent.

"I have come to the conclusion that Oliver may be growing increasingly unstable, with this 'anniversary'. His darker Grimm side might very well take over in such a situation. Of course Oliver knew this and went to Granite Bark where he knew that no one would be. But now that Weiss is after him, a child of one of Oliver's hated entities, I fear that his mental state may worsen and the encounter would be a disaster, or worse...deadly."

We all looked to each other in worry. We had to stop this before it happened

"Then I need all of you to go. Valentine, you are to bring Cody along to fight in Nimbus' place. And remember, if Oliver really is in his Grimm rage state, do not look him in the eyes. I'd pack warm too; I hear that Vacuo is getting some cold weather. Godspeed."

(End of Chapter 13)

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HEEEYOOO! Beowulf returns!

It's high time I pulled out this chapter. I've had the story of Granite Bark in my stocks since the very beginning of the story! It's nice to finally let it out.

But I've finally gotten the chance to bring some of Valentine's past into the picture, and finally revive her long lost love life.

Also, Nimbus hasn't even appeared at all in this chapter. You'll find that he's going to be working his heart out just like Blake is at this point in the story (arround the middle of season 2, episode 5-6).

I'll be posting another chapter soon.

And remember, if there is any advice that you would like to share with me, please do so. I love hearing your feedback!

Until next time, in Granite Bark. This is your favorite Novelborn signing out!


	14. Chapter 14: The Ghost of Granite Bark

Chapter 14: The Ghost of Granite Bark

(Weiss)

In all of my experience as a huntress, I've never gone into battle without a combat skirt before. My trip to Granite Bark would be the first time.

This time around I wore my snow suit. It was a white, almost skintight suit that was well insulated and had a robe that flowed out behind me. The lining of the hood was fuzzy, as was the inside. It was a comfortable fit, and the robe reminded me of Valentine's dress code.

It had almost slipped my mind that Vacuo was in the middle of a winter freeze right about now. I hoped that Oliver was at least warm out there. I began to doubt that once the hatch opened and the cold air bit my skin. It wasn't snowing very much, not but a moderate sprinkle. But it was bitterly cold out there. A layer of snow still coated the ground below.

"Miss Schnee, are you certain about this?" the pilot asked me, "This is probably one of the biggest Grimm hotspots in Vacuo! Are you sure you want to go in alone?"

"I'm sure. I want you to find a nearby airport and stay there for a little while. I'll contact you when I need to be picked up", I dropped out of the side of the ship and used a series of glyphs to jump to the ground.

The woods were lifeless. The trees were now black and grey in their hibernative stasis, completely contrasting the pure white snow. It reminded me immensely of that story that Ruby once told me, how she had taken down an entire pack of beowolves single handed. That was long before she came to Beacon. The setting was astronomically similar to what she told me.

But I saw no footprints. Not yet. But I knew that Oliver had Sickler wings, so he would have traveled as the bird flies. And If this place was so full of Grimm, why didn't they leave footprints? Regardless of why that was the case, I kept going.

When I looked at these woods, I saw peace. Everything was quiet, and nothing disturbed the natural perfection of the winter woods. Perhaps that was how the Grimm felt about nature, believing that human and faunus civilization upset the natural perfection of the wild. No, it was impossible. But a little wondering never hurt anyone. Finally, I found a headstone beside the road that said, "Remember the peace that dwelt in the heart of Granite Bark. May its people rest in peace." The Headstone was well polished, and was untouched by the snow and ice. It was as though nothing had touched it since the day it was placed.

It wasn't until another quarter mile that I got my first glimpse of Granite Bark. It was what one might call a ghost town. The structures began to crumble away, slowly being clawed away by the ice and wind. I could only picture what such a place was like in its heyday.

As I entered the town, I pictured the video I saw and realized that I now stood where that commander did when he shot Kyle Eastman. I could practically see their ghosts reenacting the scene. Then I pictured young Oliver carrying his dying father to the side. Sure enough, in Kyle's final resting place was a headstone with his name and a quote, "Great times and great people call for only the best of measures. The best I ever saw was the building of Granite Bark." This one too was as untouched as the one at the gate.

As I went around, I could see dozens of other tombstones, each identifying a single person in the places that they lived. Everyone got theirs regardless if they were human or faunus. Then I arrived at the grave of Elise Eastman. A black rose, freshly picked, was placed in front of the stone. Out of all of the stones, this was the only one that was touched in any way. A pair of rolling water droplets had frozen midway above the stone's slant. Teardrops. It was Oliver.

He was still in his sane state when he placed this. But I had to find some way to make sure that he didn't lose it. The video replayed in my mind and I remembered something that the Fang leader did before the Grimm came. I looked to my left and saw the crumbling remains of a house. I walked over and used my sword to slice an opening in the porch. There, untouched by the snow, was the katana of Kyle Eastman, exactly where the Fang leader threw it. Oliver had completely overlooked the blade as he passed through. I dusted off the hilt and unsheathed the blade. It was still caked in the blood of Elise and Oliver. I used the fresh fallen snow to clean the blade, and it seemed to glow like the light of a full moon. I closed it and carefully strapped it to my belt beside Myrtenaster.

I traveled to the top of the hill to see one final headstone, larger than the others. Written on it was a message containing today's date and year.

"I am Oliver Eastman. Eight years ago to the date this is written, the most peaceful town in Remnant breathed its last. And I am its sole survivor. Granite Bark was a light to humans and faunus, and to all who sought peace. But I regret to say that peace can only scarcely be found here in the silence. Even then the past comes ringing back to me." I trailed off before I could continue to the next line, as I heard a roar from lower on the hill.

I had become so accustomed to the silence that I completely forgot about the high levels of Grimm that plagued these woods. Three juvenile death stalkers, four Beowolves and a giant sickler were what stood at the bottom of the hill.

I hated juvenile death stalkers. I can deal with their larger versions but their younger selves were astronomically aggressive and extremely fast on their feet.

And that sickler was huge! I've never seen one up close before, but I heard that they can strike faster than any Grimm known in Remnant. With my back to the cliff, I would have no choice but to fight back. I drew Myrtenaster and glyph dashed towards the first two beowolves, leaving an explosive glyph behind me. One of the death stalkers rushed me, but I stabbed it in the back of its 'head' and swung it back towards the second, sending both off the cliff.

The others screamed and roared in rage as they prepared to fight. But the sickler stabbed at the ground, silencing them. It stepped forward. By dust this thing was over twenty feet tall! It got into a fighting stance. Very unusual, but I didn't waver in my concentration. I dashed forward and attempted to get in a close ranged shot, but its claws came down on me like a guillotine. It narrowly missed, but it would be difficult to get past a fast acting defense like that. Unless of course I could clear it out of the way first.

I tried to dash in again and the sickler attempted a scissor slice. This time I used a large red glyph which immediately repelled the attack, sending the sickler's arms out of my way. I used a yellow glyph and set a ring of glyphs around us. Quickly I jumped to one, then back to another over and over, slicing at the sickler as I went. I stopped and the sickler screamed in pain as it stabbed its two blades into the ground and collapsed. I smiled, turning to the other Grimm.

"Who's next?!" I yelled at them. I felt a cold chill run down my spine. I whirled around and dodged out of the way of another scissor slice from that same sickler! As if that wasn't enough, a _second _pair of claws hiding behind the originals lashed out at me, giving me just enough time to put Myrtenaster in front of me. but not enough to activate the dust chambers. Our blades collided and Myrtenaster was sent hurtling away before it was impaled in the ground.

I had completely forgotten that sicklers were smart enough to play dead! And since when did they have four arms with claws?! I was sent to the ground hard and the sickler spat a blob of black goo at me, gluing me to the ground on my back. Gross! Then it lowered its head, sniffing me, and it raised one of its blades to the sky and screeched in victory, and it almost seemed to continue on even after its mouth closed and the Grimm prepared to swipe.

But I realized that something else was screaming. The scream started out low, then went higher and higher in pitch, coming closer and closer, until one of the beowolves exploded into black Grimm matter. At that point, the scream had turned into a almost a fluttering whistle. The sickler stopped to look around and narrowed its eyes as the last death stalker turned to ashes, which were sucked up into the body of what killed that beowolf.

It had _two _death stalker tails now, and had a set of sickler wings and claws. It was covered in a glimmering black skin with white plating on its arms and legs. It quickly used its claws to dash forward as it ran on all fours to get past the giant Grimm's defense. The attacker was on the Grimms abdomen, and he ran his tails and blades up its back and it finally sliced off the giant's head before it could even do so much as scream in pain. It glared at the other Grimm and they ran knowing that victory was impossible.

The thing then dragged the sickler pieces back together and it consumed the evaporating remains. It staggered for a moment, lurched over with a growl and suddenly sprouted another two arms beneath its original pair! It lifted its head to the sky with its chest out and its arms held back as it let out a spine chilling scream that sounded something like a hyena's laugh. Its head snapped back around to look at me and it screamed in a similar way as it stepped over to me and raised its blade.

There was nothing I could do to stop it. But it opened its mouth one more time and something escaped its maniacally toothy grin.

.

(Oliver)

"You should see your face right now", I snickered at the Schnee heiress.

She looked back to me and said in confusion, then almost in horror, "Oliver? Is that you?!"

"Don't act so surprised, princess", I said, my voice now returning to normal, "I remember telling Ozpin not to disclose my location. Did he send you?"

"No, I...came on my own", she said, "Why did you save me?"

"I may be a Grimm, but I am not a monster. There's a very big difference", I growled quietly, "Do you have any burn dust on hand?"

"Back pocket, but I can't reach it", she said but then she shrieked suddenly as Sly sneaked up behind her and removed the crystal, handing it to me.

"There we go", I said as my hand caught on fire. I touched the gelatin and the entire vat vaporized in a split second, "Sickler slime is extremely combustible. The reaction is fast, has no smoke, and leaves no residue or burns behind. It's like flash paper." I helped her up, and said calmly, "Now that you're free, beat it. You have no business in honoring the dead here." I said as I walked away, letting my Grimm form disperse.

She could never understand the pain I held. But I learned that these negative emotions make my Grimm half stronger. Grimm feed on emptiness and any negative emotions. That's part of why I came here and why I was able to physically evolve so much.

I walked along to the crumbling remains of my old house, now little more than a stone structure. Behind the house were two headstones: the real graves of my mom and dad. I remembered how Marcus helped me with the burial before he took me in. He was so kind to me, he and his colleagues. I found it ironic that he betrayed me too. It almost seemed that whomever I placed my absolute trust in would either die or stab me in the back.

I heard footsteps behind me.

"Go back, Weiss", I said bluntly to her, "Can't you see that I'm paying my respects?"

"Oliver, I'm sorry", she said, interrupting me.

"Pardon?" I said after a short pause.

"I know what you went through, and what happened here."

I huffed, "I think you're just saying that to calm me down. I'm not falling for it."

"Then I believe this belongs to you", she said and I heard a very familiar metallic _SHING. _

"It couldn't be..." I whirled around to see Weis holding a katana with a purple and silver sheath with a dragon in the metal design, "Solace!" I said as I took the blade in shock. It was my father's sword! I could have sworn that it was lost in the raid, but here it was in such great condition.

"How did you find this?" I asked with suspicion.

"I watched the video from the files I collected and I saw where the sword was thrown. Like I said, I know what you went through."

I stood up and slowly drew the sword. I could feel the perfection in its design. I dashed forward and sliced through a dead tree with an X shaped cut. The sides and top of the tree fell to the ground and I sheathed Solace.

"It's just like when Dad used to let me use it", I sat down with my sword in my lap. Tears began to fall, and I slowly let out a laugh of joy, knowing that a lost piece of my father, the Sword of Granite Bark, had at last been returned. But that joy died and was replaced by tears of sadness. I stabbed one of my own claws into the ground as I silently cried.

"Why did you really save me? I don't blame you for hating me and my family, but why save me?" she asked.

"You didn't even know about Granite Bark before I told you. You had nothing to do with the events that occurred. I hate the ones who ordered the soldiers. I know that your men were simply following orders. But that doesn't change the fact that hundreds, maybe thousands died here. The White Fang continues the violence with a pure killing intent. I will be sure to end them", one of my claws flicked out, "and the one who gave that order is going to endure a long and painful death." I closed it again, and tried to regain my cool. "But I have made a decision. I won't involve myself with the company any further."

"Really?" Weiss said hopefully.

"That's why you are going to finish the job", I said standing up approaching her.

"What do you mean finish the job?" Weiss said with a hint of anger.

"I realize that the Schnee dust company works in a different manner than the Fang, a way that I personally will never be able to accustom myself to. And in the same way, you can never accustom yourself to the White Fang's workings." Weiss backed into the wall and I gently held her in place by her shoulders, "That is why you are going to put an end to this, _your _way. But I want you to realize that I won't tolerate the company's moral grey area much longer." I noticed my aggression levels rising and I tried to put a cap on it. I sighed, "Remnant can't afford another Granite Bark tragedy. If you really are a huntress, then please help me end this on your end. Promise me that. Please promise me that you'll do what you can." I sniffed a little.

Weiss seemed a little overwhelmed by my words. She gulped and wiped away a tear from my cheek. Her hands were so warm compared to this weather.

"I...I promise", she nodded.

"Thank you", I whispered, "I might be in Granite Bark for a few days, I still want to kind of say my goodbyes here."

"You have to stop dwelling on the past", she told me, "It will only make things worse."

"It's kind of hard to stop. I've lost everything: my home, my family. I even lost my own identity. Weiss, it's just like I said before, at heart, you and I are essentially the same. Back then and even now, I could smell in your aura that you faced loss, betrayal, abuse. You went cold just like I did. But you still have life paved out for you. You still have your family, a home, and your humanity. Count yourself lucky."

"Look, I'm sorry I never tried to understand you before. But you have a home, friends, a family in this life and the next, and," she put her hand over my heart, "under your powers you are still a person: human and faunus. You're a lot luckier than you're giving yourself credit for." I smiled weakly for a moment as I thought on that.

"Oliver, I want you to know that I'm hear as your friend and ally. If there is something I can do to help you, just say", she told me. I quickly moved forward and wrapped my arms (new Grimm arms included) around Weiss' waist.

I know that the idea of having _four _human arms sounds freaky, and it is. But in battle, an extra hand or two cam make all the difference. I had a slightly more intimate purpose for them now.

I couldn't hold it any longer. I then sprouted my _two _tails and slowly began wrap us both in my coils.

"W-w-w-wait a second! What are you doing?!" she protested. But I shushed her.

"If that's the case, then there is something I would like you to do", I paused for a moment before I began to draw closer, "Console me."

"No, just a-_mpff_!" Her voice was muffled because my lips had locked her in a kiss. She let out a muffled squeak as I directed my tongue into her mouth, and I swear I tasted peppermint.

My hands gently caressed her perfect body. Compared to Yang's build, Weiss was very petite in frame. Her curves were soft and elegant.

At last I broke the kiss. Only then did I realize that my own tongue had changed too, with the rest of me. It was slightly thinner but was much longer with a fork at the end, like a King Taijitu (snake Grimm).

Weiss was trying to catch her breath, "Why...are you doing this?"

I said not a word as I loosened my hold on us and one of my hands reached up and unzipped Weiss' snow suit, revealing the white t-shirt and long, soft pants she wore. With my tails wrapped around us like a cocoon, it was slowly growing warmer in here. I brought us both to the ground and I wrapped my arms around her once more and this time I could feel her body heat. I let one hand hold the small of Weiss' back.

"O-O-Oliver", she shivered nervously, "I don't think I'm ready for this! Ah!" She yelped then whimpered a little as I kissed the side of her neck. Not a moment later, both of my lower hands reached down and carefully lifted up her shirt. I marveled silently at Weiss' body. She was even more slim than I thought! She wore a white bra with two icy blue snowflake insignia. Her breasts were small, but were perfectly round and firm. I took one hand and gently rubbed her left breast. Weiss looked away with closed eyes and she quietly cried out.

My lower arms took the waistband of her long sweatpants and I carefully slid them off. Weiss' legs were long and slender like the rest of her and her skin was just as flawless. Her panties were of the same nature as her bra was: white with icy blue snowflakes.

Looking at her in her entirety, I saw perfection.

Weiss, shrank back a little. She shivered in fear. She held a worried and scared look in her eyes, "No", she whispered with a shaky voice. My lower right arm cupped around Weiss' upper left thigh while my lower left caressed her right hip. Weiss looked away and closed her eyes tight.

But I went no further.

Instead, I wrapped my upper arms around her chest and I rested my head on her shoulder. My other two arms dissolved.

"You say that you're my friend. Why are you so scared then?" I asked her in a genuinely curious tone. My tails closed in tighter, now carefully enveloping us.

"It's because I don't know why", she whispered.

I sighed, "Weiss, I am not here to take advantage of you. In fact I'm not going any further than this until I'm married, if I ever will be. But I don't think you have any idea how much this really means to me right now. You came all the way here, despite the danger, just to ensure my safety. You found an irreplaceable piece of my family past. And most of all, you helped me to see that I still do have a future, as does Granite Bark. That's a debt that I don't think I can possibly repay." I broke the hug for just a moment so Weiss could look to me. Finally, a happy smile showed on her lips.

"Also", I said as I embraced her again with a shiver, "I need someone to help me warm up. I'm still cold."

Weiss giggled a little and I felt a tear drop from her cheek. At long last her arms wrapped around me and her legs became entwined with mine.

I know what you're thinking. Why do I use my extra limbs in such a case? Doesn't it make the situation a little...awkward? It's only awkward if you don't understand it. You see, if you ever are locked into a genuinely sensual hug with a girl, you don't just go halfhearted into it. You give it your all. If you're a velocion tri-breed like me, and the girl knows it, that means you use anything you can to hold her while keeping her comfortable. In my case that means using my tail(s) and now my extra arms. I explained all of this to Weiss.

Well...that was my logic anyway. If you don't like it, sue me.

But Weiss actually seemed to enjoy it.

"Weiss", I whispered to her, "Thank you."

This time, Weiss pulled me into the kiss and she held nothing back. Yeah, I was definitely tasting peppermint.

Carefully she brought my upper arms to her breasts and she let me hold on to her upper thighs and I gently massaged her without breaking the kiss. That's what we did for the next twenty five minutes.

That was how Beauty tamed the Beast.

.

Weiss and I both agreed to start out on a completely clean slate again. That half-hour was the perfect way to kick start it. But we both agreed that nothing more would happen between us unless we both consented. Besides, I've seen how attached she is to Neptune.

After Weiss got dressed again, we both went back to the top of the hill.

"You made all of those head stones?" Weiss asked

"Most of them", I replied, "I knew everyone in Granite Bark by name. So when I saw that some people were missed by Marcus, I made some for them."

Carefully I cleared the hilltop headstone and began to chisel out a new message. But we were both stopped by an incoming transmission.

"Weiss! Do you read?! This is Arcee speaking!" my synthian team mate said.

"I read you loud and clear Arcee!" Weiss responded, "We're alright!"

With a collective cheer, all of our friends from Beacon leaped out of the bullhead far above us, including that guy who Valentine brought in.

"Weiss! What happened?!" Valentine said grabbing her friend by the shoulders.

"Are you really part Grimm?!" Jaun asked me excitedly. I'd forgotten that JNPR, although seeing me at the Schnee HQ raid, had been unaware of my true abilities.

"Are you alright Oliver?" Pyrah asked me.

"Alright, alright, break it up", Ozpin said calmly walking up to me after the bullhead landed, "I apologize for intruding but you gave your friends quite the scare. Had I known before hand what Granite Bark really was I wouldn't have let you go."

"I figured as much", sighed, "I'm sorry that I lied about it. But I think you may have gotten the wrong idea. I said that I'd have anger issues, not turn into the monster that you thought of. Picking off the Grimm in the area helped me cool off. Look, you all need to give me more credit than that."

"You mean to tell us that we came all the way out here for nothing?!" Yang walked forward and grabbed the collar of my shirt. Solace was suddenly at her throat, but not in my hands. Rather it was in the _paws _of a growling Sly on my shoulder, who acted in my defense!

"Hey! Put that thing back! You could have hurt someone!" I said and he barked in response. "Don't give me that! You'll have one soon enough, in a size minus four."

Yang let me go.

"I really hate to say it, but you put us behind schedule on decorating for the dance", Ruby told me.

"Excuse me, a dance?" I asked. Sly yipped at me. "How the heck did you know if I didn't?!"

"It's happening tomorrow night", Ruby told me, "We've been preparing for it for the past several weeks."

"Well, then there's no time to lose!" I said happily, "I'll meet you guys there! No, I'll just go with you guys!" I rolled over to the bullhead in boarbatusk fashion and took my seat in the blink of an eye. Everyone just looked to me strangely.

"Are you okay?" Valentine asked me, "You seem a little different." Everyone climbed in behind me.

"Well, I feel different. But this is the real me! I'm just glad that I'm finally out of hiding."

"Weiss, what did you do to him?" Yang asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well...he's kind of a hugger", Weiss sugarcoated. But Yang got the idea, "Hey Oliver. You fixed the headstone but I never got the chance to read it. What does it say now?"

I smiled and walked over to the bay doors as we lifted off and I said my parting words to Granite Bark.

"I am Oliver Eastman. Eight years ago to the date this is written, the most peaceful town in Remnant breathed its last. And I am its sole survivor. Granite Bark was a light to humans and faunus, and to all who sought peace. But I regret to say that peace can only scarcely be found here in the silence. The hatred and prejudice of the world has brought only destruction. I used to hate those people. But now I see that Granite Bark is not dead yet. There is still hope for this ideal of tolerance and acceptance, which only together can create peace. As the son of the Governing Family, it is my oath, my honor, my duty to one day restore Granite Bark. I can see this hope now, because I realize that I no longer have to go in alone. Until that day comes, I am still Oliver Eastman. I am Oblivion, the Ghost of Granite Bark."

(End of Chapter 14)

.

Beowulf here!

I am completely at a loss for words right now. That wound up a lot better than I was expecting.

But in all seriousness, I had to put a cap on Oliver's forwardness towards Weiss. This story is rated T, people! There will be NO LEMONS HERE!

Now once again, Nimbus does not appear in this chapter, He's still working his wings off with Celestial Dawn.

I'll be working on my Bleach story, "Grimlocked", next, so keep your eyes open fellow soul reapers.

As for my fellow Huntsmen and huntresses, if you have any ideas, critiques, or feedback of any sort, please share! Only if you want to of course.

And thank you all for my official 2,000 views! Thanks for making _Wings of Remnant _my most successful story yet!

This is Beowulf the Novelborn signing out.


	15. Chapter 15: Demons on the Dance Floor

Chapter 15: A Demons on the Dance Floor

(Nimbus)

_BANG! BANG! BANG! SHHHHHH!_

The hammer rang in the underground forge. I've been at it for two days straight with out stopping. I had no choice. This process required that I watch my weapon heat and cool and modify what I can when needed. I was on the last cycle when I would at last let it cool. once this was done, I would have to put it all together. When the time came for presentation, I had to make Dawn look her best. No question asked. No holds barred.

I wasn't there when Oliver made his trip to Granite Bark, and I would have come if Ozpin had at least informed me. But he didn't.

"Nimbus!" a voice said behind me, and Jaun's hand yanked me out of the forge just as the last piece finished cooling, "We need to talk!"

.

Before I knew it, I was dragged into team JNPR's room with Jaun, Rin, and I sitting on one of the beds. Rin had apparently been pulled out of the showers.

"Look, I see you both as brothers. Of course I don't know much about you both, but I figured that we could have a chat, man to man...to man. Rin I wasn wondering, You and Nora have been together for a long time so..." Jaun rambled until Nora cleared her throat.

"We're not actually _together-_together."

"NORA! I SAID HEADPHONES ON!" Jaun barked suddenly and Nora immediately complied.

"Jaun, what is it? Why drag me into this?" I asked.

"It's Weiss", he sighed, "She's so hung up on that Neptune guy but I'm just scared to talk to her about how I feel."

"Then do it!" Pyrah walked in with a smile, "If you have feelings for her then confess already! You won't get anywhere by just doing nothing. Just tell her how you feel and don't hold back."

Jaun nodded and stood up suddenly, "You're right! I have been holding back a little! Thanks Pyrah!" he dashed out of the room.

"Practice what you preach, Pyrah", Nora said solemnly as Pyrah sighed. In an instant I picked up on what was going on.

"Hold it now. HOLD IT NOW!" I dashed over to Pyrah with a gleam in my eyes, "You have a crush on Jaun! Don't you?"

"N-n-n-no! What makes you say that?" she said nervously.

"Don't try to hide it! I've never seen you this nervous before. That's a sure sign that you're not being honest with me", I suavely interrogated.

She sighed, "Alright, alright! It's true. I like Jaun."

"Then why won't you tell him?! He's an awesome guy!" I told her.

"I don't think that you'd understand", she looked away.

"Try me", I sat down beside her.

After a short pause she continued, "You know my reputation, who I am. It's just that people see me as someone of a higher level, someone who's...unreachable. Of course in reality, I've only known others of that same title. I don't know how to...propose to someone like Jaun." Without a second thought, I pulled her up, spun her around and caught her in a dancer's catch. Nora gasped in awe and Pyrah went silent as I stood her back up again.

"I know exactly how you feel" I said, "I'm not exactly from Remnant. My people have been isolated for a long time and there was a time when I saw all humans and this entire world as unreachable. But even so, our kind holds us to standards for staying high above the radar. Yet I took the initiative to come all the way down here myself! I wasn't scared of being reaching for something that was supposedly unreachable. Just look at Jaun. He's going after Weiss Schnee, the heires to the biggest company in Remnant! That's shooting high! If he could go for her", I put my hand on Pyrah's shoulder, "then he'll go for you, if you tell him."

My words appeared to have their desired impact.

"You're right. I'll talk to him tonight", Pyrah said as she gave me a chaste kiss on the cheek, "Thank you."

.

(Oliver)

I was shocked that I hadn't heard about the dance sooner. I may have been last minute, but I managed to find a good suit. I found it a little demeaning whenever I came back to my room to find that Sly had found a suit of his own! I still don't know how he managed to find one in his size.

Everyone on the team, save for Valentine, was going single. Even Sly went off on his own. Perhaps had found another slink to hang out with.

"Hey! Oliver!" a voice called behind me, and I turned to see a girl in a black and green dress with mint green hair.

"Oh hey! What was your name again? Emily? Emma...Emerald!"

"That's my name! Don't wear it out!" she winked with a smile, "Listen, I was just wondering if you might be up for a dance."

"I don't see why not", I said as I took her hand and we slow danced with the other students.

"But in all seriousness", she said, "How did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"When you fought Mercury. I've never seen anyone take him down before, let alone that quickly! How did you do it?!" Man, I loved this girl's attitude. She was playful like Yang, but was as curious to learn as Blake.

"I'm afraid that I can't just tell you. If too many people actually knew what my powers were, I wouldn't be here. It's...sensitive information."

"So you're just a little self-conscious of your own powers?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Well, yeah! That 's a really accurate way of putting it! You're right!" I smiled.

"That's okay, you don't have to tell me, I was just curious. What about your team leader, Nimbus? I haven't seen him yet? How does he fight?"

"You're trying to get information for the tournament aren't you?" I said spinning her into a dancer's catch.

"Maybe", she said smugly, "I'm not denying it."

"You're not confessing either", I stood us back up, "But Nimbus will be out of combat for a little while with his weapon broken. He's working on a new one in his spare time but it will be a change for him. That's all I know anyway."

"I believe it's my turn, Emerald", one of the students walked up to us.

"Alright", Emerald moaned, but then happily chirped to me, "See you later, Oli!" Mercury switched out Cinder for Emerald with me.

"I see that Emerald has already asked you her questions, hasn't she?" she said in a way that was chillingly sweet.

"Please don't take this the wrong way but I don't entirely trust her, or Mercury. I can tell that you three are holding secrets, big ones."

"You're one to talk", she said in a soft, teasing tone, "I know that you have your share as well. That power of yours for instance. I plan to figure out exactly what you are capable of before the tournament." Damn, those eyes, those burning ember eyes were trying to burn right through me. Neither of us succeeded, "Have you ever felt broken before?"

"Pardon?"

"I mean heartbroken. More often than not people keep to themselves because of some tragic past. Regrets, guilt. In a word, there is merely a fracture in your heart. I can feel it clear as day." Cinder slowly walked her fingers up my shoulder, "Of course the only way to fix it is to place a little trust in someone else."

"I've lived my life not trusting anyone, be they human, Faunus, or half breed", I said as one of my antennae twitched beneath my hair, "I believe that it is merely instinct that drives us to trust others like such. That same instinct is what drives me to fight. Mercury found out the hard way that I rely on that trait, no matter how arcane." I spun her around, "As for this 'fracture', you seem to go into great detail as though you know it from experience. Do you know heartbreak, Cinder Fall?"

We both danced in silence for a moment. I could tell that she was very persuasive, and tempting in several ways. A demon in a sense. I could tell without a doubt that she analyzed me and saw the instinct and makings of a Grimm, in a figurative sense.

Before another word was said, before I could even register what happened, I felt a burning softness on my lips. She was….kissing me? I know I've weaseled my way into a kiss three time so far. Now that the girl was making the first move, I felt strange on the inside. It made me feel extremely out of place and even further out of character.

Cinder didn't kiss too deep, but gave me a slight flash of tongue. Her skin was feverishly warm, burning to the touch, and her lips and tongue were even more so. That feverish heat permeated my entire being and I welcomed that feeling. Finally she pulled away and licked her lips with a seductive smile. The moment that we lost contact, that heat vanished, leaving me cold inside.

"I'm sure that we'll find out each other's secrets some other day", she chided before she faded back into the crowd with a sway in her hips. As soon as she was gone, I went out in search of Yang.

On that day I felt a sense of fear. Cinder Fall had become the first girl to officially scare me.

And I loved it.

.

(Ruby)

I can't believe I got so excited over this. I've waited for this dance for a long time and I have to spend it wearing this tight dress with shoes that I can barely even walk in.

Given the chance, I would have a date to this dance. But I had to be the only one here who was fifteen. Everyone else was seventeen or eighteen. So in the meantime I watched over the dancefloor as team JNPR moved to the beat. I don't know why, but Jaune was wearing a dress. I couldn't help but laugh. But I saw that someone else was laughing beside me.

I looked to see a boy (MY AGE! EEEEK!) leaning over the railing to watch. His hair was black and his eyes were dark, but they glittered like polished onyx. His skin was as pale as mine, and he wore a red tie with golden buttons and cuffs. But he looked just as uncomfortable as I was.

"Not liking the dress code?" I asked him.

"Tell me about it", he tried to loosen his collar, "I can't stand a tux that's this tight, I can barely breathe."

"That makes two of us!" I said jokingly, "I can barely move!"

He looked behind me, "Who did your corset?"

"My sister Yang."

"The blonde? That explains it. Can't picture her in a corset. Hold still." He walked up behind my with his hands flying at the strings. Then with a tug, the corset loosened just enough to let me have a better range of motion, "My older sister goes to parties all the time, and she has me to her corsets all the time."

"Gee, thanks!" I sighed with relief, "My name is-"

"Ruby Rose. I ran into your sister Yang and she told me about you. My name is Sedrick Lawrence Young, but my friends call me Sid. Nice to meet ya."

We talked on for a little while until a familiar song came on. I believe it was the same song that was playing when Yang was in that nightclub not long ago, the "I Burn Remix".

"Oh, oh! I love this song!" Sid exclaimed, "You wanna dance?"

"I would love to but these shoes are a little too tall for my tastes", I tried to refuse, "Also, I can't dance."

"Yang told me that isn't true", Sid crossed his arms, "You're fast on your feet when it comes to fighting Grimm. This is even easier. Follow me", he took my hand and escorted me down the stairs.

"I don't know about this", I said.

"It's a lot easier than you think. In fact, the ladies aren't supposed to lead the dance, the men do. All the ladies have to do, what you have to do, his follow my lead. You have the easy part. Now let's give it a try. Hand in hand and let me keep your arms up." He directed me in the correct position, "Now all you have to do is step to the beat that I set. Just go with the flow. I'll set it to the beat of the music. Let's go."

Soon, he and I were stepping side to side with the beat of the music. "How am I doing?"

"Wonderfully. You learn quickly. Now let's try and step it up with the next quarter of the song." The song moved to the second quarter, _Mirror Mirror._

"First thing you need to know is that everything you do in a dance lines up with the beat of the music. In a moment I'll tap my finger and I'll raise my hand four beats later. Follow through with your hand and spin around once, and resume this position. Remember, the time I raise my hand to the time your spin stops is four beats long, relatively slow. Ready?" I nodded and we followed through. He led me swiftly through the motions and I stopped the spin with no trouble.

"I-I'm doing it!" I smiled as the song switched to quarter three, _From Shadows._

"Alright, since you seem to learn faster than I thought, I'll have to step up our game. Next, when I give you the signal, I want you let go with one hand, but hold on with your other. Go to the very end of my reach and when I tug, spin back towards me against my arm. Try to think of a yoyo going back up a string."

"I think I can do that." He immediately sent me out and I came rolling back before he caught me, spun me around like the first time, the let me resume the pose.

"And you anticipated the spin at the end. Very well done!" At last the song reached the final quarter, _I Burn. _

"Alright, time to get serious. For this one, I'm going to combine everything you've learned. I hope you're ready." As soon as the vocals started, he twirled me around twice and sent me straight into a yoyo spin. But when he sent me into another spin, this time he began to spin under my hands. Then he reached with his hands low behind his back.

On instinct, my free hand grabbed his, so now my right was locked with his right and my left with his left. We took turns spinning until he lowered our hands, and the spin wrapped his arms around me without breaking our grasp. Finally, I was in a dancer's catch just as the song concluded.

For a moment we stayed in that position and all was silent with the exception of my heartbeat.

"Perfection", Sid whispered in my ear.

After a pause, I whispered, "Thank you", and I kissed him for a moment. It wasn't until we pulled away that everyone on the dance floor was looking to us and applauding.

"That's what I'm talking about Ruby!" Yang cheered for me, as Sid spun me around and held our hands up to wave to the crowd.

I pulled him over to the side and said, "That was incredible! I didn't think I could do it!"

"Ozpin already told you before, dancing is very similar to fighting. So dancing comes naturally to us."

"Look," I shuffled nervously, "I was just wondering, maybe, you and I can hang out sometime."

"Count on it!" he gave me the thumbs up but then looked far behind me, "But I'm afraid that I don't have much longer tonight. By the way, look on top of those buildings right there and head to the CCT." He waved to me with a smile and walked into a pitch black shadow of an awning, blending in perfectly.

"Wait!" I said going after him, but Sid was gone. He had just melted into the shadows. The only trace left of him was a gale of black rose petals that blew out of the awning with the wind. Sedrick Lawrence Young was a mystery to me.

But that's not necessarily a bad thing.

.

(Nimbus)

I really wish that I could have gone with the others, but I had to finish my weapon. Tomorrow was the day we'd take our first missions with a teacher, and I would be incapable of fighting if Celestial dawn was incomplete. I walked over to my workbench where the broken feathers were from that lest battle. I had managed to fuse them all together into two large diamond-shaped slates, which I began to place in the new housing compartments for permanent storage. It reminded me of the descent to Earth, when I was completing Pluto's design. But no one would be around to interrupt me this time. When both were secured, I locked them in place, performed a test charge up, and held the weapon in my hands.

"It's done", I sighed with relief. It was similar to Dad's original design, but like Pluto, I added some upgrades. The centerpiece changed to the color of the Stardust crystals the moment I held the handle.

It was perfection.

I set Dawn to rest (social mode) as I exited the forge. Maybe I could still reach the dance if I had the time. Then as I went to my room to get dressed, I saw something horrifying; or rather the lack of something.

Pluto's remains were gone. I panicked and ran out of the room to see if I could still find a teacher.

But as I walked through the halls of the school, I heard a loud roar from the locker rooms. I ran inside to see that one of the rocket lockers was taking off! It was Ruby's locker. She must be in trouble! I hated to do this, but Pluto would have to wait.

I snapped open my wings and flew to the armory to grab a pair of short swords, and I latched on to the locker as it rocketed out of the silo.

Something in my mind didn't understand. Ruby was at the dance. Why would only she call in her locker? As the locker began its descent, I released my hold and stayed high in the air to observe.

Ruby picked up Crescent Rose on the ground below and made a mad dash for the CCT. Three guards at the entrance were out cold. Someone had already broken in, and Ruby was going in to investigate.

I tucked and rolled into a dive as I landed on one of the balconies by the communications room. I put on my full Grimm mask and looked inside. I saw a young woman, probably nineteen years old, with long black hair with a black jumpsuit and a mask. She was working on one of the computers there. Ruby stepped out of the elevator and tried to talk to the now standing woman.

She spun around and waved dust n an arc in front of her and glass shards were launched at Ruby who quickly blocked, and used a shot of her own to get in close with a strike.

At this point, the woman had summoned two curved black swords. I felt like I've seen them somewhere before. She got in close and slashed at Ruby, who fell back and fired three shots at the woman. But the rogue merely blocked the shots with the palms of her bare hands! Ruby struck again forcing the woman into a backflip.

While in that motion, her hands connected the swords' handles together to form a black bow without a string. There was a clockwork wing insignia on the handle. She pulled back and three black arrows were notched and fired in an explosive barrage.

All of the blood drained from my face as I put the pieces together. Rather _she _had put the pieces back together!

The bow she was using was Pluto!

I snapped open my wings and blasted the door down with a gale force wind that swept around the room, setting everyone off balance. Flaring my wings again, I dashed forward with a Nevermore scream as I slashed with the swords! The woman dodged a fatal strike.

My wings hid before she could see them as I roared to her, "That weapon belongs to me! I won't let you go for desecrating my father's masterpiece!"

I would have fought on, but the elevator door opened to reveal that man that Ozpin was talking to in his office, the day I fought Insomnia. I whirled back around to the intruder, but she had mysteriously vanished. I looked out the window only so see her melt into the shadows and disappear as the clock struck midnight.

"Come back here, you coward!" I howled at her, "I will kill you for this!"

.

Ruby and I had been sent back early that night and the moment we woke up, we were sent directly to Ozpin's office. I remember the last time I came up here, when Oliver and Yang were missing.

"Come in", Ozpin called to us. We opened the doors to see Ozpin at his desk with Glynda Goodwitch, and that man from last night.

"Sorry we're late", Ruby said sheepishly, "Someone hit all of the buttons on the way up here. It wasn't us."

"Thank you for coming, Ruby, Nimbus. How are you feeling?" Ozpin asked.

"Good I guess. But I'd feel better if my bad guy catching record wasn't 0 for three", she shrank back at the serious tone in the room, "Oh, so that's the tone we're going for here."

"Ah, Nimbus. I'm still puzzled by how you manage to get yourself into these sort of messes", Ozpin mused.

"I had my reasons for showing up. But I have Ruby to thank. If she hadn't launched her locker when she did, I wouldn't have been there."

The other man stepped up to her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Ruby, I feel it's appropriate to let you know, I think what you did last night was exactly what being a huntress is all about. You recognized the threat, you took action, and you did the best you could. The same to you Mr. Altos."

"Now," Ozpin continued, "The General here has already informed us of the events that transpired last night. Now that you've both rested, we were wondering if you had anything to add."

"Was anyone with her?" Glynda asked, "Did she look familiar to you at all?"

"I don't know. She was wearing a mask. She didn't say anything to me", Ruby stated, "I know that she fought with glass, but I don't think that was her semblance. And her clothing lit up when she attacked."

"That means that she wove dust into the clothes she wore", I stated.

"Save for the glass, that sounds like the woman I fought on the night we met Ruby", Glynda hypothesized.

So you know her?" I asked.

"Most likely. Have a look", she pulled out her scroll and started the video of Ruby fighting several goons outside of a dust shop.

"Hey! I know those guys. Those are Junior's employees from the dance club you met me at, Ozpin!"

"Seems like that", he said and the scene continued to a battle between Glynda and a woman in a bullhead.

"Okay, stop!" I paused the video as the woman attacked. Her clothes lit up just enough to light up her form a little. I squinted and looked to her.

"But I'm afraid that the video is preventing me from seeing her in full detail, even with my night vision."

"But embedding dust into clothing is an age old technique. It could be anyone", Ironwood reminded us.

"Wait," Ruby asked, "You think this girl is connected to Torchwick and the White Fang?"

"It's possible", Ozpin stated, "but we still lack the required evidence to link the two together."

"But I did notice that she stole my father's bow, Pluto, and reverted it into a darker form of its previous form, Apollo. We both know how it shattered in that battle with Insomnia."

"So you acted again out of your father's honor", Glynda inferred, "I don't mean to be rude, but the last time you acted in that manner, you were almost killed by that same beast, _and _your bow was broken. A third time is probably going to be the death of you."

My wings blasted a gale around the room without revealing themselves. Starlit feathers blew in the breeze off my coat.

"Don't ever talk about finishing my father's work like that!" I hissed.

"Mr. Altos! How dare—", she started but Ozpin interrupted her.

"Both of you please stop. We are not here to talk about Boreas. Now tell me Ruby, how exactly did you know to follow her if you were in the dance?"

"Well, I actually wasn't the one who saw her first", she blushed, "Sid alerted me before he vanished."

"Sid?" Ozpin said as he rolled through the records, "We don't have any Sid's at any of the schools."

"Well, he said that his friends just call him Sid. He said his real name was Sedrick Lawrence Young. Right after he saw the woman he said he was out of time to be there and he just blended into the shadows and disappeared. All that was left behind was a bunch of these", she reached into her pocket and pulled out a couple of black rose petals.

"Interesting, leaving pieces of his own aura behind", Ozpin said picking one of the pieces up in his hand as he examined it for a moment, "But I'm afraid that just this much isn't enough to trace his whereabouts. But we do know for certain that he is not a student. We can't rule out the possibility of him being with the White Fang. Is there anything else you'd like to tell us?"

"Well I do remember hearing something about a hideout or something…in the southeast just outside the kingdom, according to what Oliver told us", Ruby informed.

"Interesting", Ozpin said raising an eyebrow.

Glynda narrowed her eyes at us, "What does Mr. Eastman-?"

"Thank you for your time. Both of you", Ozpin stopped her, "Why don't you go and spend some time with your teams. You both have a big day ahead of you."

"Yes sir", Ruby said as we both walked away.

.

We opened the door to Ruby's dorm and all of Team RWBY and NOVA zipped forward to meet us.

"What happened?!" Yang interrogated us. So we explained everything to them.

"So close to home too", Blake pondered.

"You could have at least came to get us", Arcee told her, "We could have helped."

"Ruby", Yang hugged her sister from behind, "There's still something you're not telling me. Who was he?"

"What do you mean?" Ruby turned as red as her hood.

"You know, the guy you danced with last night. The on that gave you your first kiss." A squeak of excitement came from the other girls in the room (except for Blake, who remained reserved).

"Alright," Ruby sighed, "it was some boy by the name of Sid, Sedrick Lawrence Young."

Oliver suddenly lurched forward and started coughing on the soda he was drinking. And we all stopped to look at him.

"Did you honestly just say, Sedrick Lawrence Young?!" he said in shock.

"You know him?" I asked.

"We all do", he confirmed, "He melts into shadows. He likes Ruby. His own name gives him away!"

"How does his name reveal his identity?" Weiss asked.

"I mean his _initials! _**S**edrick **L**awrence **Y**oung! S.L.Y!" Oliver said.

At that very instant, Oliver's pet slink leaped out of his jacket sleeve and took cover inside Ruby's hood.

"SLY?!" everybody gasped at once. We could hear Sly's squeaking as he laughed for a moment. Then a hurricane of black rose petals blasted out of Ruby's hood to form a boy with black hair, yellow eyes, who stood as tall as Ruby. He wore a Leather jacket and black pants with a white t shirt and a pair of shades were over his eyes.

"Well, it took you guys long enough", he grinned happily before removing his glasses, "But you had to blow my cover, Oliver."

"Okay! I am officially confused!" Valentine backed up.

"This….does not…..compute!" Arcee struggled to say before she flopped back onto someone's bed.

"Whoa! Plot twist much!" Yang raised her eyebrows.

"This is new", Oliver approached, "Why didn't you tell me about this?!"

"Did you honestly think that some ordinary Grimm would be able to coexist with a human?" Sly asked, "I don't know if you've forgotten, Oliver, but I'm genetically modified. They made a half breed with Grimm DNA, and they made a Grimm with human DNA. Heck, I got more Grimm and more human in me than you do. No offense. It was only a matter of feeding off of small increments of your own aura that I was able to gain enough of your impostor semblance to obtain a complete human form."

"That makes sense", Arcee sat back up.

"But why did you choose now to reveal it?" I asked him.

"Is it not obvious?" he said before turning back into a rose petal storm and reforming beside Ruby, "I wanted my chance at romance."

"Romance?" Ruby said as Sly hugged her from behind.

"Right from the moment you held me while Oliver was in the arena. Remember? I just figured that last night would be the proper time to start. You had fun last night, didn't you?" he tried to snuggle her.

But Oliver brought his foot down on top of Sly's head and sent him to the ground hard enough to snap him out of his human form. Sly squeaked in protest.

"Save it, Romeo. We have to get ready for the missions today, as do they. We don't have time for games now." Sly rolled his eyes in response, but climbed back into Oliver's Jacket sleeve.

(End of Chapter 15)

.

Beowulf is back!

Whoa! Surprise much?! Cinder sneaking his way to Oliver, Sly sneaking his way to Ruby. That was a shocker to me! I never saw that coming.

I'm sorry I couldn't post sooner, but the school recently put up a block on FanFiction while on campus, so I've had to resort to using Microsoft Word to _recopy _the chapter! **RoboDragon **knows the kind of hamper that puts us in. It's a nightmare!

But I've already started on the next chapter, so you won't have to wait too long for the next one!

Speaking of which, to my fellow soul reapers out there, I'm posting a chapter of the new and improved _Grimlocked!_ That's right!It's finally out of hiatus! and I will be posting it right after this chapter!

.

...Hold up! What's the matter?!...Excuse me?...What?!...That's horrible!...Alright I'll tell them.

.

(deep breath of nervousness) Fellow readers, the date that this chapter was published was February 3, 2015. And I have just received word from a weeping cast that two days ago, on February 1, 2015...Monty Oum, the creator of RWBY has passed away.

To Monty, if you're reading this up there, you will never be forgotten. Your talents and inspiration were part of what drove me to write these stories, and you forever have my thanks, and the thanks of the entire OC crew. You have left us with one last _remnant, _that we will always remember you by: you were the genius, the dreamer, dare I say it the Novelborn Novahakiin who created the fantastic world of Remnant to inspire millions!

As of right now I dedicate this story to you, Monty. You played the most important part in helping me write it. May you continue to inspire us all in spirit. We will miss you dearly.

And most important of all, thank you Monty. Thank you for helping my dream come to life!

Until next time! Beowulf is signing out!

Rest in Peace, Monty Oum.


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